How stress changes the amygdala to increase aggression
Official title: Amygdala Circuit Mechanisms for Stress-escalated Aggression
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-11332982 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how stress alters specific amygdala brain cells that can drive aggressive behavior, aiming to help people who develop anger or PTSD after trauma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,784 |
| NIH project number | 5R00MH133869-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332982 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll people, but its findings would be most relevant to individuals with PTSD or trauma-related increases in irritability and aggressive behavior.
✕Less likely to help
People whose aggression is driven mainly by genetic neurodevelopmental disorders, active substance intoxication, or certain neurological diseases may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers use a mouse model of social trauma to mimic how interpersonal violence can lead to later aggression. They record activity from corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH)–expressing neurons in the central amygdala using single-cell calcium imaging to find patterns linked to offensive aggression. The team then uses closed-loop optogenetics to turn those cells on or off at precise moments to see whether that changes aggressive responses. The goal is to identify specific brain-cell circuits that could become targets for future treatments to reduce trauma-related violence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to brain-cell circuits to target with new therapies that reduce trauma-triggered aggression and improve emotional control in people with PTSD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have implicated CRH-expressing amygdala neurons in fear and aggression, but using closed-loop optogenetics to causally test trauma-escalated aggression is a newer, more direct approach.
Where this research is happening
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Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Newman, Emily L — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Newman, Emily L
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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.