Impact of environmental toxins on frontal brain circuits in affective disorders
Official title: Impact of environmental toxicants on frontal cortical circuits
Funded at Central Michigan University · NIH-11355845 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH grant will study how mercury exposure might disrupt brain circuits involved in emotion and mood, with potential relevance to affective disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Central Michigan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mount Pleasant, United States) |
| Project start | June 11, 2026 |
| Project end | June 10, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $394,165 |
| NIH project number | 1R21ES038727-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355845 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for affective disorders who have known or potential mercury exposure or who live in areas with higher environmental Hg risk.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without mercury exposure or with non-impactful exposure patterns may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how methylmercury affects the brain’s emotional and cognitive control circuits, using animal and brain-slice data to build a picture of in vivo circuit changes. Researchers will examine the prefrontal and insular cortices (mPFC and aIC) to see how chronic exposure alters spiking activity, synapses, and molecular pathways. The goal is to connect cellular changes to system-level brain function that could relate to mood symptoms. The work uses integrative approaches across systems neuroscience to translate findings toward understanding mercury-related neuropsychiatric effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these findings could improve understanding of how environmental toxins contribute to affective symptoms and guide prevention or intervention efforts.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows cellular sensitivity to methylmercury, with in vivo translation to circuit dysfunction still being explored and new insights anticipated.
Where this research is happening
-
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sceniak, Michael P — Central Michigan University
- Study coordinator: Sceniak, Michael P
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.