How deep brain stimulation in the striatum affects brain circuits and thinking
Circuit and Cognitive Mechanisms of Striatal Deep Brain Stimulation
This project explores whether deep brain stimulation near the striatum can improve cognitive control and related psychiatric symptoms by changing brain circuit activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173623 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are combining lab experiments in animals with measurements taken from people to link specific brain circuits to thinking skills called cognitive control. They will use tasks that both animals and humans can do so the same brain processes can be compared across species. In people who have had or might get ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VCVS) stimulation, the team will relate stimulation settings to changes in task performance and brain signals. The goal is to map which circuits and stimulation parameters produce helpful changes in thinking and behavior.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with severe, treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions (for example, those considered for or already receiving VCVS/ventral striatum DBS) and who have measurable problems with cognitive control.
Not a fit: People with mild or well-controlled psychiatric symptoms, or those whose conditions are not treated with DBS, are unlikely to directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors choose better targets and settings for DBS to improve thinking and psychiatric symptoms more reliably.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier small human studies have shown VCVS DBS can improve cognitive control, but detailed circuit-level mapping across humans and animals remains limited and this work builds on that evidence.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Widge, Alik S. — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Widge, Alik S.
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.