Role of hippocampal dopamine in early life adversity and fear generalization
Official title: Investigating The Role of Hippocampal Dopamine in Early Life Adversity Effects on Fear Generalization
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-11303631 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how early life adversity may change fear generalization in adults by studying dopamine signals in the hippocampus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 14, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $450,175 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH140258-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303631 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of early life adversity who experience fear generalization; participants without such history may serve as comparators.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without early life adversity or those not experiencing fear generalization may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
In people, heightened fear generalization is linked to anxiety, PTSD, and depression. The research will use imaging of dopamine signaling in the ventral dentate gyrus of the hippocampus to understand how early life experiences alter fear responses in adulthood. By watching real-time neural activity during fear generalization, the study aims to map the brain circuits involved and how ELA changes them. The findings could point to new targets for interventions to reduce generalized fear in anxiety-related disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of brain circuits could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat excessive fear in anxiety and related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests DA signaling in the hippocampus influences fear generalization, with evidence of ELA-related changes, indicating this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anacker, Christoph — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Anacker, Christoph
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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.