How brainstem signals affect proactive coping in anxiety
Brainstem Modulation of Proactive Coping
This project tests whether stress-related brain chemicals make the brain prefer freezing over taking action, with the goal of helping people with anxiety disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257327 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses animal models to understand why some individuals freeze while others take active steps to avoid threats. Researchers manipulate norepinephrine signaling from the brainstem (locus coeruleus) to the central amygdala and measure whether animals learn to avoid danger or instead freeze. They also use an early-life trauma model to mimic how childhood stress can harm adult coping. The goal is to identify brain circuits that could become targets for treatments to help people with anxiety act more adaptively.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with anxiety disorders or those who have trouble coping with threat-related stress could be future candidates for clinical approaches that arise from this work.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or those whose symptoms are unrelated to threat-avoidance circuitry may not receive direct benefit from this basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to help people with anxiety shift from freezing to more adaptive, proactive coping.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies show norepinephrine affects fear responses, but translating these circuit findings into proven human treatments remains limited.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sears, Robert Milton — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Sears, Robert Milton
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.