Understanding how attention affects eye movements and decision making
Official title: Neural Correlates of Spatial Attention Deployment and Perceptual Decision Making
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-10997541 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how paying attention affects the quick eye movements we make when deciding something, using monkeys to see how their brains work under pressure, which could help us understand how we make choices in our own lives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $48,974 |
| NIH project number | 1F31EY036728-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10997541 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing attention-related issues or cognitive impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no cognitive or attention-related disorders may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how attention influences the way we make quick eye movements, known as saccades, and how these movements relate to decision making. By studying the activity of specific brain cells in the frontal eye field while monkeys perform tasks under time pressure, the researchers aim to uncover the mechanisms behind attention and perception. The approach involves recording neuronal activity during urgent decision-making scenarios, allowing for a clearer understanding of how different signals contribute to our choices. This could lead to insights into cognitive processes that affect behavior and decision-making in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of cognitive processes related to attention and decision making, potentially leading to improved treatments for attention-related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in understanding attention and decision-making processes, but this specific approach using urgency in decision-making is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kattner, Evan Alexander — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kattner, Evan Alexander
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how octopuses integrate sensory information and make decisions
This study is exploring how octopuses use their arms to grip things by looking closely at their nervous system and movements, which could help us understand their amazing abilities better.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Shared decision-making to prevent cancer in South Africa
A multi-level, school-based program in South Africa helps families, teachers, and health workers make informed choices to prevent cervical and related cancers, especially where HIV is common.
-
Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
A patient-centered decision tool called MyPath aims to help postpartum women with substance use disorders choose and keep effective contraception after giving birth.
-
Alcohol use and suicidal thoughts: how decision-making affects risk
This project looks at how acute alcohol use and people’s decision-making patterns relate to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adults.
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.