How the front part of the brain controls social avoidance
Prefrontal circuits of active avoidance under social conditions in rats
This project looks at how front-brain circuits work when animals avoid threats near other animals to help people with PTSD and anxiety.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kansas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhattan, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11099730 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use rats in a task where an animal steps onto a platform to avoid a tone that signals a mild shock while another nearby rat has one of three trauma-related experiences (conditioned, fear-conditioned, or naïve). The team records single neurons in front-brain areas called the anterior cingulate (ACC) and prelimbic (PL) cortex to see how cell activity matches avoidance behavior in social versus alone conditions. They then use optogenetics to turn ACC activity on or off to test whether that brain region is necessary for social avoidance. The goal is to understand how social context changes the brain circuits that drive avoidance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Although people cannot join this animal-based project, it is most relevant to adults with PTSD or anxiety who struggle with persistent avoidance and social interaction problems.
Not a fit: People without PTSD or anxiety, or whose problems do not involve social avoidance, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to brain circuit targets for treatments that reduce excessive avoidance and improve social functioning in PTSD and anxiety.
How similar studies have performed: Single-neuron recordings and optogenetics have mapped fear circuits successfully in rodents, but applying these tools specifically to social avoidance is fairly novel.
Where this research is happening
Manhattan, United States
- Kansas State University — Manhattan, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Diehl, Maria Magdalena — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Diehl, Maria Magdalena
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.