Neural control of everyday actions in the human brain
Official title: Neural control of complex human behaviors
Funded at California Institute of Technology · NIH-11412381 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project at Caltech is exploring how the brain coordinates everyday tasks like making breakfast or driving, and how rapid decisions and actions emerge from brain activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,190,000 |
| NIH project number | 1DP1NS155489-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412381 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with conditions affecting real-world behavior control or those who can participate in advanced brain-sensing studies.
✕Less likely to help
People unable to participate in brain-imaging or noninvasive monitoring or who have conditions that preclude studying natural behaviors may not receive direct benefits.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how the brain plans and executes real-world activities that unfold in seconds or less. Researchers will study how multiple brain processes work together to control tasks like driving, cooking, and interacting with the environment in real time. The work will look at rapid brain dynamics, feedback loops, and how goals influence action choices during natural behavior. The investigators hope to build a picture of how microtasks combine into flexible, autonomous behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better treatments or tools for disorders that affect everyday actions and decision-making, improving quality of life and safety.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown progress in linking brain activity to simple tasks, but this project tackles complex, real-world behavior which remains a frontier with early promising findings.
Where this research is happening
-
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meister, Markus — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Meister, Markus
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.