Serotonin’s role in mental effort under ongoing stress and cognitive control
Official title: Neurocomputational mechanisms of serotonin, sustained stress, and mental effort allocation
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11515886 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how serotonin influences brain and thinking processes when people stay motivated to work under ongoing stress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00MH133912-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11515886 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults experiencing chronic stress or cognitive difficulties related to stress who are able to participate in brain-imaging studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to undergo brain-imaging or those with conditions that prevent participation in MRI studies.
What this research studies
This project explores how the brain’s serotonin system affects how we decide to invest mental effort when stress is constant and controllable or not. It uses brain imaging and computational models to link serotonin activity with strategies like focusing attention or being more cautious. The goal is to uncover neurocomputational rules that guide goal-directed effort under persistent stress. The research is led by Debbie Yee at the University of Iowa during the R00 phase of her K99/R00 award.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could help tailor approaches to maintain motivation and cognitive control in people experiencing chronic stress.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows serotonin modulates cognitive control; this project extends understanding under sustained stress using advanced imaging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yee, Debbie — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Yee, Debbie
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.