Basal forebrain and brain networks in psychiatric disorders
Official title: Basal forebrain regulation of default mode and task-on functional network activity: translational modeling of psychiatric disorders
Funded at VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11290806 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to understand how a brain region called the basal forebrain helps regulate thinking and attention in people with severe mental illness, with the goal of guiding new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2019 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX004500-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290806 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with or at high risk for schizophrenia or similar neuropsychiatric conditions who have cognitive difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cognitive symptoms or those not seeking brain-network–based therapies may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how the brain’s default mode network and task-focused networks interact in schizophrenia and similar conditions. The work looks at how the basal forebrain may control these networks, especially when people need to focus or switch tasks. The project uses findings from animal and human studies to model how brain signals could be tuned to improve cognitive symptoms. By examining neurotransmitter balance and network dynamics, the study aims to identify targets for therapies that could enhance cognitive function in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform new approaches to treating cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia and related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research supports the link between basal forebrain activity, DMN regulation, and cognitive function, with ongoing work suggesting the possibility of modulating these networks to improve outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Boston Health Care System
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcnally, James M — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Mcnally, James M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.