Slow brain rhythms that shape attention and mind-wandering
Meso-microscale physiology and dynamics of slow network fluctuations
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES · NIH-11349775
Using electrodes placed inside the human brain, researchers are measuring how slow shifts in brain activity influence whether you focus on the outside world or on your own thoughts.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (ORANGEBURG, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11349775 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would take part in tasks and more natural listening/thinking situations while doctors record brain signals with electrodes placed on or in the brain (intracranial EEG). The team will measure local fast activity (broadband high-frequency activity and single-unit firing) and slower network fluctuations across brain areas like the default mode and fronto-parietal attention networks. They will use connectivity and directionality methods (for example Granger causality, phase coupling, and mutual information) to see how brain regions drive shifts between external attention and inward thought. Much of the work is done in people who already have intracranial electrodes for clinical monitoring, and the experiments move from tightly controlled tasks to more natural, real-world-like conditions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who are undergoing intracranial electrode monitoring as part of clinical care (for example epilepsy patients) and who can perform simple cognitive tasks during recording.
Not a fit: People who are not undergoing invasive brain monitoring or who want immediate treatment changes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve understanding of attention and mind-wandering and help guide new treatments for attention-related, neurological, or psychiatric conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human intracranial EEG studies have successfully used local and network measures to study attention and brain networks, but this project combines multiple advanced metrics and more naturalistic tasks for a broader view.
Where this research is happening
ORANGEBURG, UNITED STATES
- NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES — ORANGEBURG, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KNIGHT, ROBERT THOMAS — NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES
- Study coordinator: KNIGHT, ROBERT THOMAS
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 below.