Prefrontal circuits of active avoidance under social conditions
Official title: Prefrontal circuits of active avoidance under social conditions in rats
Funded at Kansas State University · NIH-11400475 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how social context changes avoidance behavior in rats to shed light on anxiety disorders and PTSD.
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 start | July 15, 2017 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $225,473 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM113109-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400475 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with anxiety disorders or PTSD who experience avoidance behaviors and could benefit from translational insights into social influences on fear.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without anxiety-related symptoms may have indirect benefit through general advancement in neuroscience.
What this research studies
Researchers study rats performing a platform-avoidance task to see how having a social partner with different experiences affects their behavior and brain activity. They record single neurons in prefrontal areas and use optogenetics to test whether those brain regions are necessary for the social-influenced avoidance. The work aims to map how social cues alter fear and avoidance, potentially guiding new approaches for anxiety and PTSD in people. The project combines behavioral testing, brain recordings, and precise neural manipulation to uncover neural circuits of socially influenced avoidance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how social context influences fear and avoidance could inform new treatments for anxiety disorders and PTSD in humans.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows that prefrontal circuits modulate avoidance and fear under social conditions in animal models, supporting potential translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Kansas State University
Manhattan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Diehl, Maria Magdalena — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Diehl, Maria Magdalena
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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.