Understanding how brain circuits decide under uncertain rewards to help with addictive behaviors
Official title: CRCNS: Decision dynamics in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic networks
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-11358293 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A brain-focused project tests how the cortico-basal-ganglia-thalamic system makes decisions when rewards and feedback change, with potential insights for conditions like opioid use and obesity.
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 | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $311,307 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059993-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11358293 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals whose addiction-related behavior is linked to CBGT circuit function, or who may benefit from future translation of these findings into therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People without conditions involving CBGT-related decision making or addiction may not directly benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project combines brain theory and computer models to study how the CBGT circuit processes evidence and feedback to guide choices, especially in environments with changing rewards. Researchers will create and analyze models of neural dynamics and decision trajectories to reveal how different brain states influence decisionmaking. The work may clarify why some people develop addictive behaviors and how neural feedback shapes future choices. Findings could point toward new targets for reducing maladaptive decision patterns related to addiction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of decision-making in the brain could inform new strategies to prevent or treat addictive behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that CBGT circuits influence decision dynamics and that computational models can predict decision trajectories; this study builds on those approaches with integrated theory and data.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Verstynen, Timothy D — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Verstynen, Timothy D
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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.