How side frontal brain areas help control emotions
Lateral prefrontal organization in emotion: representational and causal mechanisms
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · NIH-11352626
Researchers will look at how parts of the side of the front brain help adults with mood and anxiety problems manage emotions over time and across situations.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SANTA BARBARA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11352626 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project uses brain scans and noninvasive brain stimulation to see how different parts of the lateral prefrontal cortex represent and control emotions. Adult participants will do tasks that involve emotional events while researchers record brain activity and occasionally use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to change activity in specific frontal regions. The team will study how emotion responses update over time and in different contexts to find which regions support adaptive emotional responding. Findings will combine mapping of brain activity with causal tests to link particular frontal areas to changes in emotional behavior.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with mood or anxiety disorders who can undergo MRI and noninvasive brain stimulation and are willing to participate in repeated lab visits would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not have mood or anxiety disorders, are under 21, or cannot safely undergo MRI or TMS (for example due to metal implants, pacemakers, pregnancy, or seizure risk) are unlikely to participate or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to better brain targets for treatments like TMS and inform therapies that help people with mood and anxiety disorders regulate emotions more effectively.
How similar studies have performed: Previous brain-imaging and TMS work targeting frontal regions has shown promise for depression, but combining detailed representational mapping with causal TMS tests in the lateral frontal pole is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
SANTA BARBARA, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA — SANTA BARBARA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LAPATE, REGINA — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
- Study coordinator: LAPATE, REGINA
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.
Conditions: Affective Disorders, Anxiety Disorders