How the brain helps people control hearing voices
Neural Mechanisms of Voluntary Control Over Hallucinations
Learning how some people can turn hearing voices on and off to help people who are distressed by auditory hallucinations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145745 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be asked about your experience hearing voices and whether you have learned ways to start or stop them. Researchers will compare people who seek treatment and those who do not, using questionnaires, behavioral tasks, and brain imaging to see what differs in control abilities. The team will look for brain activity and signaling patterns linked to better voluntary control over voices. They may also test simple training or practice to see if control can be strengthened.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who currently experience auditory verbal hallucinations (hearing voices), whether or not they are in treatment, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not hear voices would not benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce distress from voices by teaching or boosting voluntary control skills.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work shows some people naturally gain control over voices and early data suggest control can be developed, but turning that into standard treatments is still new.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Powers, Albert R — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Powers, Albert R
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.