How the brain learns, decides, and remembers
Neural computations of learning, decision-making and memory
This project looks at whether the brain uses common calculations for value, uncertainty, and prediction errors when people learn, make choices, and form memories, and how those patterns relate to anxiety and stress symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323136 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you may complete online or in-person behavioral tasks that involve game-like learning, making choices, and a memory test given on a second day. A large behavioral group (about 1,000 people) will provide data on choices and learning, and a smaller group (about 100 people) will come to Yale for fMRI scanning to measure brain activity during the tasks. Researchers will use your choices and responses to build computational models that estimate value, uncertainty, and prediction errors for each person. The team will then compare those individual computational signatures with brain activity and with measures of anxiety and stress-related symptoms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults from the general population, including men and women with varying levels of anxiety or stress-related symptoms, who can complete behavioral tasks and (for the MRI portion) meet scanning safety criteria.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or those who cannot undergo MRI (for example due to metal implants, severe claustrophobia, or pregnancy) may not directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain and behavioral markers that help predict risk for anxiety or stress-related disorders and inform more targeted treatments in the future.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked neural signals of value, uncertainty, and prediction errors to behavior and mental health, but combining large behavioral samples with a novel game-like task and fMRI in this integrated way is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levy, Ifat — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Levy, Ifat
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.