Neural basis of how kids and animals respond to new tastes
Official title: The Neural Organization of Taste Neophobia
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11365145 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how the brain handles fear of new foods and how that affects eating in children, using animal models to understand the brain circuits involved.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | August 2, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $385,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC020465-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365145 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with high food neophobia or caregivers seeking ways to support diverse, healthy eating.
✕Less likely to help
Children without neophobia or those not involved in appetite-related studies may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
The project explores why children and other animals are cautious when tasting unfamiliar foods and how this early flavor experience shapes future eating. Researchers will examine brain regions involved in taste and neophobia in awake, behaving animals to map neural responses to novel tastes. Insights could illuminate why some kids develop picky eating or unhealthy dietary patterns and how to support healthier food choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these brain circuits could lead to strategies that reduce unhealthy food avoidance in children and promote better dietary habits.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows taste neophobia involves specific brain circuits; this study aims to extend findings to awake, behaving animals.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boughter, John D — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Boughter, John D
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.