Understanding decision-making behavior in mental health disorders
Official title: Building normative models of Reinforcement Learning Decision Making Behavior
Funded at Mclean Hospital · NIH-10746456 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how people with mental health conditions make choices and learn from their experiences, with the hope of creating better, personalized treatments to improve their care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mclean Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Belmont, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $205,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21MH131881-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10746456 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with various psychiatric disorders who experience challenges in decision-making.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-psychiatric conditions or those without decision-making impairments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how individuals with psychiatric disorders make decisions, focusing on a specific behavior known as Reinforcement Learning Decision Making (RLDM). By using computational models, the study aims to identify and quantify the different processes involved in decision-making, such as valuing options and learning from outcomes. The goal is to develop normative models that can help tailor treatments to individual patients, enhancing the precision of psychiatric care. The research addresses the need for more effective methods to understand and treat the complexities of mental health disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more personalized and effective treatment strategies for individuals with mental health disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using computational models to understand decision-making in mental health, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kumar, Poornima — Mclean Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kumar, Poornima
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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.