Slow changes in brain signals and behavior across time
Official title: Slow time scale fluctuations in neurons and behavior
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-11395456 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how brain activity and behavior drift together over minutes, hours, and days to understand cognition better and potentially help people with brain disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $417,321 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH128393-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395456 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with brain disorders or cognitive symptoms who participate in studies measuring brain signals and behavior.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience direct clinical benefit, but contribute to knowledge about brain function.
What this research studies
This grant explores how neural circuits and behavior change together over different time scales, from small groups of neurons to the whole brain. The research will look at brain signals captured noninvasively and at the level of single neurons to see how internal cognitive states like attention and arousal emerge during tasks. By linking brain coordination patterns to behavioral performance, the project aims to reveal mechanisms that could be altered to improve function in brain diseases. The work combines neuroscience methods with analyses that connect neural activity to observable behavior, moving beyond static snapshots. Participants may be involved through noninvasive measurements during task performance, depending on study design and safety approvals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of brain-behavior links could lead to new approaches for treating cognitive and attention-related issues in brain disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that coordinating neural activity relates to behavior, supporting the potential for meaningful findings in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Matthew a — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Smith, Matthew a
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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.