How the brain represents cue-driven incentive and expected reward
Neural basis of incentive and expected value representations
Researchers are learning how specific brain cells respond to reward-related cues to better understand why cues trigger relapse in people with addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249557 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on the ventral pallidum, a brain region involved in motivation and relapse, to find which neurons encode the incentive value of cues versus the expected value of outcomes. Using animal models, the team will record activity from defined GABAergic neurons and trace their outputs, especially those projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA). They will also manipulate those circuits to see how changing their activity alters cue-driven reward-seeking versus goal-directed behavior. Results are intended to inform future neuromodulation or circuit-targeted therapies to reduce cue-induced relapse in addiction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a history of substance use disorder who experience strong cue-driven craving or relapse would be the most relevant eventual candidates for treatments based on this work.
Not a fit: People without addiction or whose problems are not driven by cue-triggered reward-seeking are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to specific brain circuits to target with therapies that reduce cue-triggered craving and relapse in people with substance use disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies manipulating ventral pallidum and VTA circuits have altered cue-driven behaviors, but translating those findings into proven human treatments remains early and limited.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richard, Jocelyn M — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Richard, Jocelyn M
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.