How our memory of places shapes how we see real-world spaces
Official title: How Visuospatial Memory Shapes Perception of Real-World Environments
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11519888 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project at Dartmouth College will study how your memory of the environment helps you perceive and navigate real-world scenes using immersive VR and brain scanning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | April 7, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $79,471 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH130529-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11519888 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease dementia or related cognitive aging concerns may benefit from future advances arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
The study is primarily about basic brain science and may not directly offer therapies during the study.
What this research studies
Researchers will use head-mounted virtual reality, eye-tracking, and fMRI to explore how visuospatial memory of local environments influences ongoing scene perception and navigation. The study aims to uncover brain mechanisms behind memory-guided visual processing during naturalistic viewing, with participants experiencing immersive environments. The findings could improve understanding of how memory and perception interact in healthy aging and in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of brain networks involved in memory and vision could inform interventions to support people with Alzheimer’s disease or age-related vision and cognitive changes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research using VR and fMRI has yielded insights into memory-guided perception, suggesting this approach is promising but still exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robertson, Caroline Elizabeth — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Robertson, Caroline Elizabeth
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.