Cerebellum-to-cortex circuit behind hearing voices
Official title: Empirical validation of a cerebellar-cortical hallucination circuit
Funded at Mclean Hospital · NIH-11258489 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are checking whether a brain circuit linking the cerebellum, thalamus, and cortex causes people with schizophrenia to hear voices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mclean Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Belmont, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $572,264 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH126000-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258489 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with schizophrenia who experience frequent auditory hallucinations and who can safely undergo MRI scanning are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not experience auditory hallucinations, those with other primary psychiatric diagnoses, or anyone who cannot have an MRI (for example due to metal implants or severe claustrophobia) are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would take part in brain imaging sessions that try to capture activity while someone is experiencing hearing voices, using MRI and advanced analysis to map which regions turn on together. The team will look for a connected circuit spanning the cerebellum, thalamus, and cortex that consistently appears when hallucinations occur. Results will be compared across people with schizophrenia who have frequent auditory hallucinations to see if the same circuit explains symptoms. The goal is to create clear targets that could be used in future treatments like targeted brain stimulation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific brain targets for neuromodulation therapies to reduce or stop hearing voices.
How similar studies have gone: Previous 'symptom capture' imaging has found brain regions active during hallucinations, but linking those activations into a single therapeutically useful circuit remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Halko, Mark a — Mclean Hospital
- Study coordinator: Halko, Mark a
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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.