Circuits for detecting surprising events in V1 (visual cortex)
Official title: Circuits for deviance detection in V1
Funded at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res · NIH-11399910 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how the brain automatically notices unexpected visual events, focusing on autism-related brain processing, to understand how people with autism may experience and react to their surroundings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orangeburg, United States) |
| Project start | October 3, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,533 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033950-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399910 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with autistic disorder whose visual processing and sensory integration are of interest, though this study uses animal models to uncover mechanisms that may inform human understanding.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefit to patients would come only after translational steps; the current work is primarily mechanistic in animals.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore how neurons in the primary visual cortex respond to odd or deviant visual stimuli and how this deviance detection might be altered in autism. Using mouse models and advanced optical tools, they will map the circuits that produce this rapid, context-dependent signaling and test the role of local inhibitory neurons and top-down inputs. Findings could illuminate why some individuals with autism experience differences in processing visual context and inform strategies for supporting everyday perception. The work connects basic brain circuitry with potential implications for understanding sensory processing in autistic disorder.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding deviance detection could lead to better approaches for supporting sensory processing in autism.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in animals have shown circuit elements essential for deviance detection, supporting the plausibility of these findings in broader contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
Orangeburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hamm, Jordan P — Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
- Study coordinator: Hamm, Jordan P
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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.