Exploring how we understand causes of health and illness

Conte Center: Understanding Latent Cause Inference in Health and Illness

NIH-funded research Princeton University · NIH-10862336

This study is looking at how people understand and make sense of health and illness information, especially how they recognize familiar versus new situations, to see how this might relate to mental health issues, and it's for anyone interested in learning more about how our thinking affects our well-being.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionPrinceton University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-10862336 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how individuals categorize and interpret information related to health and illness, focusing on the cognitive process known as latent cause inference. By examining how people differentiate between familiar and new situations, the study aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to various mental health conditions. The research employs computational models to analyze individual differences in this cognitive process and its relationship to mental health symptoms, while also exploring the neural circuitry involved. Participants may undergo assessments to evaluate their cognitive processes and mental health status.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include individuals experiencing anxiety disorders or other mental health symptoms related to cognitive processing.

Not a fit: Patients with no cognitive processing issues or those not experiencing mental health symptoms may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment of mental health conditions by identifying cognitive processes that contribute to these disorders.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in understanding cognitive processes related to mental health, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.

Where this research is happening

Princeton, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Anxiety Disorders
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.