Computer model of how thalamus and cortex control attention and decisions
Computational Core
It builds detailed computer models of how the thalamus and cortex work together to support attention and decision-making, using data from animals and people including people with schizophrenia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326849 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about a detailed computer model that mimics how thalamus and cortex brain regions interact during attention and decision tasks. The team fits the model using brain recordings from non-human primates and tree shrews and from animal models of schizophrenia to capture circuit dynamics. They also use brain network data collected from healthy people and people with schizophrenia to make the model relevant to human brain function. The models use biophysical principles (including Hodgkin-Huxley style neurons, spike timing and brain rhythms) to generate predictions that guide experiments in the Center.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who might be involved are healthy volunteers and people with schizophrenia who can take part in related brain imaging or electrophysiology studies at the Center or partner labs.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to thalamic or attentional circuits, or who cannot undergo brain scans or recordings, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these models could help researchers pinpoint circuit-level problems in schizophrenia and guide development of more targeted treatments or diagnostics.
How similar studies have performed: Related computational and animal-model approaches have clarified brain rhythms and attention mechanisms, but translating such models into clinical treatments remains early and experimental.
Where this research is happening
Princeton, UNITED STATES
- Princeton University — Princeton, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kopell, Nancy — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Kopell, Nancy
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 below.