How brain circuits for forming romantic bonds develop
Functional ontogeny of pair bonding neural circuits
Researchers are learning how reward-related brain circuits mature during adolescence to help people with autism, ADHD, or social anxiety who struggle with social bonding.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180437 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses prairie voles, a small rodent that naturally forms strong pair bonds, to model how social reward systems develop. Scientists will record dopamine neuron activity in the brain across development using tiny implanted sensors and will temporarily turn specific neurons on or off with chemogenetic tools. They will compare males and females and different ages to see when the brain becomes capable of forming adult-like pair bonds. The goal is to map normal maturation of social-reward circuits so we can target them later to help people with social difficulties.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with persistent social difficulties such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or social anxiety are the kinds of patients who might benefit from follow-up human research informed by these results.
Not a fit: Patients whose social problems are primarily caused by sensory impairments, severe intellectual disability, or social/environmental factors may not benefit directly from this basic animal research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new targets for therapies that improve social connection in people with ASD, ADHD, or social anxiety.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have already linked dopamine systems to pair bonding in adult prairie voles, but applying developmental recordings and reversible manipulations across adolescence is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado — Boulder, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hiura, Lisa — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Hiura, Lisa
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.