How memory affects decision-making in foraging birds
Official title: Influence of Hippocampus-Like Memory Representations on Decision Making in Foraging Birds
Funded at Basis Research Institute · NIH-11064920 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how a part of the brain called the hippocampus helps birds, like chickadees and sparrows, make smart choices while searching for food, and it aims to understand how their memory affects these decisions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Basis Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $224,100 |
| NIH project number | 4R00NS131256-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11064920 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research would be individuals with memory-related cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-memory-related cognitive disorders or those without cognitive impairments may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory, influences decision-making in birds while they forage for food. By studying species like chickadees and sparrows, the research aims to link the biological properties of hippocampal neurons to specific memory-guided behaviors. The approach includes advanced behavioral tracking techniques in natural settings and theoretical analyses to model cognitive behaviors. This work could provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying memory and decision-making processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of memory-related cognitive behaviors, potentially informing treatments for memory disorders in humans.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in linking hippocampal function to memory behaviors in animal models, suggesting that this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Basis Research Institute
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mackevicius, Emily Lambert — Basis Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Mackevicius, Emily Lambert
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how octopuses integrate sensory information and make decisions
This study is exploring how octopuses use their arms to grip things by looking closely at their nervous system and movements, which could help us understand their amazing abilities better.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Shared decision-making to prevent cancer in South Africa
A multi-level, school-based program in South Africa helps families, teachers, and health workers make informed choices to prevent cervical and related cancers, especially where HIV is common.
-
Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
A patient-centered decision tool called MyPath aims to help postpartum women with substance use disorders choose and keep effective contraception after giving birth.
-
Alcohol use and suicidal thoughts: how decision-making affects risk
This project looks at how acute alcohol use and people’s decision-making patterns relate to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adults.
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.