How very slow brain activity shapes thinking, attention, and mood
Official title: Neurobiology and Cognitive Role of Slow Brain Network Fluctuations
Funded at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res · NIH-11349765 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how very slow changes in brain activity affect attention, mood, and everyday thinking in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orangeburg, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,120,567 |
| NIH project number | 5P50MH109429-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11349765 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older who can complete cognitive tasks and tolerate brain recordings (EEG or MRI) and physiological monitoring are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those who cannot undergo brain scans or prolonged testing, or those seeking immediate treatment effects may not benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would be asked to do attention and thinking tasks while researchers record slow brain activity, heart rate, and pupil changes using tools like EEG and MRI. They will link seconds-to-tens-of-seconds fluctuations in large brain networks to moments when your mind drifts off-task or stays focused. Some experiments test whether these slow patterns predict reaction times, mood, and bodily responses, and may include lab-based manipulations or recordings. The goal is to learn when off-task thinking helps or harms behavior and mental health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain signatures that predict attention lapses and mood changes, guiding new ways to improve focus and mental wellbeing.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked mind-wandering and slow neural signals to attention and bodily responses, but testing the causal role of ultra-slow brain fluctuations is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
Orangeburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schroeder, Charles E — Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
- Study coordinator: Schroeder, Charles E
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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.