Brain circuits behind overgeneralized fear
Official title: Circuits underlying overgeneralization
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-11470640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether strengthening a small hippocampus area called the dentate gyrus can help adults with PTSD, anxiety, or depression stop reacting to safe situations as if they were dangerous.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 7, 2003 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $155,975 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH068542-24S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with PTSD, anxiety disorders, or mood disorders who experience excessive generalization of fear or have trouble distinguishing safe from threatening situations.
✕Less likely to help
Children, people without mood or anxiety disorders, or those whose symptoms are driven by causes other than pattern separation deficits are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying a part of the brain called the dentate gyrus that helps tell similar experiences apart, a process called pattern separation. They combine behavioral tests with brain recordings and biological studies, including work on adult-born neurons, to link circuit function to fear overgeneralization. The team plans to test strategies that boost pattern separation in the dentate gyrus and measure effects on anxiety- and mood-related behaviors. Most work is lab-based now but is intended to guide future treatments for people with PTSD, anxiety, or depression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that reduce fear overgeneralization and improve symptoms in PTSD, anxiety, and mood disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and physiological studies support the dentate gyrus' role in pattern separation, but turning those findings into human treatments is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hen, Rene — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Hen, Rene
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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.