How brain activity in a reward area stays stable or changes
Stability and flexibility of neural representations in the ventral striatum
Researchers are looking at how nerve cells in a brain reward area change during learning in mice to help people with addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301817 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project tracks individual neurons in the olfactory tubercle, a reward‑related part of the brain, while mice learn and unlearn smell‑outcome links. Scientists will use high‑resolution multiphoton imaging to watch activity in identified neuron types over weeks as behavior and associations change. They will test whether the neural patterns that encode learned associations remain stable, drift over time, or reorganize when new associations form. The goal is to connect these cellular changes to how motivated behaviors and addictive responses develop.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is preclinical laboratory research that does not enroll people, but it is most relevant to individuals with addiction or disorders of motivated behavior.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or direct care will not receive benefit from this animal research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how changes in brain circuit representations contribute to addiction and point to targets for future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related animal studies have shown shifting neural representations in sensory brain areas, but long‑term cellular imaging of striatal reward circuits in the context of addiction is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Harvard University — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murthy, Venkatesh N — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Murthy, Venkatesh N
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.