How practice reshapes brain circuits for learning
Official title: Distributed Neural Activity Patterns Underlying Practice-Based Learning
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11393265 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how repeated practice changes brain connections that link sights to actions, which could help explain learning differences in autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $223,756 |
| NIH project number | 4R00MH127471-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393265 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with autism spectrum disorder and their families who want to follow basic research on brain learning mechanisms may find the results relevant, though the project itself is performed in mice.
✕Less likely to help
Anyone seeking immediate treatment or direct participation should not expect personal benefit from this project because it is laboratory research in animals.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mice to record and map brain activity while the animals learn by trial and error, linking sensory cues to motor actions. They will identify which brain areas handle sensory detection, motor control, reinforcement signals, and memory recall and trace how synaptic connections strengthen with practice. The team uses targeted recordings and circuit-mapping tools to assign each cognitive function to specific brain pathways. Although the experiments are in animals, the goal is to reveal basic mechanisms that may inform why learning can be different in autism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific brain pathways to target in future therapies or training approaches for learning differences in autism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown synaptic plasticity during learning and identified roles for individual brain regions, but this focused mapping of distributed circuits for trial-and-error learning as related to autism is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reinhold, Kimberly — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Reinhold, Kimberly
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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.