How animals make decisions about food
Biological Mechanisms of Food-Related Decision Making
This study looks at how fruit flies and tiny worms decide what to eat by using their senses like sight and smell, and it hopes to help us understand how these decision-making processes work in more complex animals, including people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10928091 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how animals, specifically fruit flies and nematode worms, make decisions about food based on various sensory inputs like appearance, smell, and taste. By studying these simpler organisms, researchers aim to uncover the neural mechanisms that guide food-related choices, especially when faced with conflicting information, such as a visually appealing fruit that smells bad. The findings could provide insights into the biological processes that influence eating behaviors in more complex animals, including humans.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals interested in understanding the biological basis of food preferences and decision-making, particularly those affected by dietary-related conditions.
Not a fit: Patients who are not interested in the biological mechanisms of food decision-making or who do not have dietary-related health concerns may not find direct benefits from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of decision-making processes related to food, potentially informing strategies for addressing dietary choices and related health issues in humans.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has successfully utilized similar model organisms to uncover fundamental biological insights, suggesting that this approach has a strong potential for yielding valuable findings.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nitabach, Michael — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Nitabach, Michael
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.