How social experiences shape brain development and behavior
Official title: Experience-dependent tuning of socially selective neural circuits
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-10914243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the social experiences of northern paper wasps help them learn to recognize and interact with each other, which could teach us more about how social interactions shape brain development in other animals, including humans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $122,040 |
| NIH project number | 5K99EY035504-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10914243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation or benefit from this research would be individuals interested in the biological and neurological underpinnings of social behavior.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no interest in social behavior or those not affected by social cognitive disorders may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how social environments influence the development of neural circuits responsible for recognizing and responding to social partners. Using the northern paper wasp as a model, the study explores how these wasps develop specialized recognition abilities based on their social experiences. By controlling the timing and diversity of social interactions, researchers aim to understand the mechanisms that allow these wasps to encode and discriminate social information. The findings could provide insights into the broader implications of social experience on brain development in other species, including humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of social behavior development, potentially informing treatments for social cognitive disorders.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach using northern paper wasps is novel, similar research in other species has shown promising results in understanding social behavior development.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jernigan, Christopher M — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Jernigan, Christopher M
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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.