How the amygdala and social behavior develop during adolescence
Official title: Parallel maturation of social behaviors and amygdala circuits
Funded at Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci · NIH-11415569 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Studying how experiences in adolescence shape the brain’s social circuits to help understand and prevent lifelong social difficulties.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $535,696 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH118237-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415569 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals aged 12 and older who are navigating adolescence or early adulthood and have concerns about social development or brain-behavior relationships.
✕Less likely to help
Some individuals may not experience measurable changes in social behavior or brain circuits during the study.
What this research studies
This project looks at how social experience during adolescence shapes the amygdala and its connections, influencing social motivation and behavior as people grow into adulthood. Researchers will examine changes in brain circuits, especially the prefrontal cortex connections to the amygdala, and how these relate to social drive and behavior across age groups. The study aims to identify synaptic and molecular changes that occur over short timescales and over the longer transition from adolescence to adulthood. By understanding these brain-behavior relationships, the work could guide strategies to support healthy social development after adverse experiences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could inform interventions to support healthy social development for teens and young adults at risk of social impairments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown distinct roles for amygdala subregions in social behavior, supporting the feasibility of this line of inquiry.
Where this research is happening
-
Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
North Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosenkranz, Jeremy E — Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
- Study coordinator: Rosenkranz, Jeremy E
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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.