How the brain handles 'what if' thinking and regret
Neuroeconomic mechanisms of counterfactual thinking
['FUNDING_R01'] · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · NIH-11321287
Researchers are looking at brain circuits that create 'what if' thoughts and regret to help people with mood and emotional disorders.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11321287 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project uses animal experiments to map how the brain forms counterfactual or 'what if' thoughts by recording single neurons in the nucleus accumbens. The team combines advanced brain-wide imaging with circuit-specific manipulations to see how different inputs shape those neurons' activity. They use rodent decision-making tasks designed to capture conserved features of regret and choice behavior across species. The work aims to link these basic mechanisms to altered thinking in mood and affective disorders and to point toward future human-focused therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with mood or affective disorders who experience persistent 'what if' thoughts or excessive regret are the eventual beneficiaries, although this grant uses animal research and does not enroll patients.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment or those with health problems unrelated to mood, decision-making, or emotional regulation are unlikely to benefit directly from this animal-based project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could reveal brain circuit targets that lead to new treatments for excessive regret and related symptoms in mood disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal research has linked nucleus accumbens activity to reward and regret, but this project's combination of single-neuron recordings, brain-wide imaging, and circuit dissection is relatively novel and still early for clinical translation.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SWEIS, BRIAN MUSA — ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- Study coordinator: SWEIS, BRIAN MUSA
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