How neural noise shapes brain signals and behavior
Official title: Impacts of neural variability and noise on neural population codes
Funded at New York University · NIH-11445085 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team at NYU is studying how random variability in brain activity affects thinking and movement, using real data and new math tools to better understand brain codes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,187 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DA066648-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11445085 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with neurological conditions where brain signal interpretation or decoding is relevant, or patients contributing neural data through related collaborations.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not involved in neural data collection or not connected to brain-behavior studies would not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will develop new statistical methods and theoretical models to measure and explain trial-to-trial neural variability in realistic tasks. It combines analyses of animal navigation and visually guided decisions in nonhuman primates with rodent data, and will produce user-friendly open-source software to apply these methods broadly. The effort includes rigorous benchmarking against computer simulations and actual neural recordings to ensure reliable insights into how noise influences population codes. By translating complex neural data into clearer measures of error and information processing, it aims to improve our understanding of brain computations in everyday behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit in the long term from better interpretations of brain signals related to thinking and action, which may inform neuromodulation and neuroprosthetic strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that accounting for neural noise improves decoding accuracy in brain signals; this project advances methods and applies them to more realistic tasks.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, Alexander Henry — New York University
- Study coordinator: Williams, Alexander Henry
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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.