Efficient control of brain signals to improve perceptual decisions
Official title: CRCNS: Efficient control of behavioral and neural variability during perceptual decision-making
Funded at Harvard Medical School · NIH-11538108 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether people can reduce neural and behavioral noise during quick, uncertain perceptual decisions by using motivated control of sensory processing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $241,873 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DA067964-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11538108 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with normal or corrected vision who can participate in MEG experiments and perform perceptual decision tasks.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to participate in brain-imaging studies or with conditions affecting MEG measurements may not benefit.
What this research studies
The study will combine ideas about how the brain limits mental effort with models of perceptual decisions under uncertainty. Researchers will develop normative theories about how people might control the amount of noise in sensory evidence, balancing performance gains against effort costs. They will test predictions in human participants performing decision tasks while measuring brain activity with MEG to see how neural patterns evolve over time. The team will compare observed brain signals to model predictions to understand when and how people exert control to improve decisions. This work could reveal how motivation and beliefs shape perception at the neural level.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better ways to enhance decision-making in situations with uncertain information by leveraging motivational strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Past work shows that motivation can influence decision performance, but this project tests precise neural mechanisms of control in perception.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard Medical School
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drugowitsch, Jan — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Drugowitsch, Jan
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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.