How thalamus–prefrontal brain connections develop during adolescence
Official title: Thalamo-prefrontal circuit maturation during adolescence
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-11295461 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether reduced thalamus activity in adolescence changes how the front part of the brain matures, to better understand cognitive problems that can appear in teens and young adults at risk for schizophrenia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 27, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $499,061 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH128293-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11295461 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not enroll people now; its findings may later apply to adolescents or young adults at high risk for schizophrenia or those with early cognitive symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
People without developmental or thalamus-related causes for their symptoms, or conditions unrelated to prefrontal circuit maturation, may not see direct benefit from these results.
What this research studies
This project uses mice to model how thalamic signals shape prefrontal cortex development during a teen-like period versus adulthood. The team reduces activity in thalamic areas that project to the prefrontal cortex during adolescent-equivalent and adult time windows, then measures long-term changes in wiring, neuron communication, and behavior. They test cognitive outcomes relevant to attention and flexible thinking and record neuronal activity patterns linked to task performance. Results aim to show whether adolescence is a sensitive window when disrupted thalamic input leads to lasting prefrontal and cognitive changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify how disruptions in thalamus–prefrontal development during adolescence lead to lasting cognitive problems and suggest timing and targets for early interventions to prevent or reduce schizophrenia-related deficits.
How similar studies have gone: Human imaging and animal work have shown reduced thalamo-prefrontal connectivity before schizophrenia onset and that thalamic input guides cortical maturation, but using adolescent-specific thalamic inhibition to produce lasting prefrontal and cognitive changes is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kellendonk, Christoph — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Kellendonk, Christoph
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.