Role of two mPFC networks in initiating and inhibiting actions
Official title: Role of Two Medial Prefrontal Long-Range Recurrent Networks in Behavior Initiation and Inhibition
Funded at University of Wyoming · NIH-11374248 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A mouse-focused study will explore how two parts of the brain’s frontal cortex coordinate when to start or stop actions, using behavioral tasks and brain activity measurements that could inform ADHD-related behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wyoming NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Laramie, United States) |
| Project start | June 10, 2026 |
| Project end | June 9, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $397,375 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH141703-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374248 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with ADHD or related executive function challenges in whom future translational work could be relevant; this grant itself is preclinical in mice.
✕Less likely to help
No immediate direct benefit to patients; findings are foundational and will inform later human studies.
What this research studies
Researchers will test how dorsal and ventral motor-projecting neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex help with starting actions, stopping impulses, and adapting to new rules in tasks that mimic human executive challenges. The study uses four behavioral paradigms in mice, advanced neural recording, and targeted brain perturbations to map how these neurons drive or suppress actions. Findings will be integrated into computer models to predict how neural activity relates to behavior and may be relevant to ADHD-related dysfunction. Exploratory analyses will compare mouse behaviors to human metrics of stop-signal and reversal learning to bridge animal and human studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve understanding of brain circuits involved in ADHD-related impulsivity and cognitive control, informing future therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in similar circuits has linked prefrontal activity to action initiation and inhibition, supporting potential translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wyoming
Laramie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Qian-Quan — University of Wyoming
- Study coordinator: Sun, Qian-Quan
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.