Understanding how brain regions influence learning from rewards and punishments
Official title: mPFC Regulation of VTA Dopamine and GABA Neuronal Activity During Flexible Updating of Appetitive and Aversive Associations
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-10911815 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how certain parts of the brain work together to help people learn from rewards and punishments, which could lead to better treatments for mental health conditions by understanding what goes wrong in these processes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $74,284 |
| NIH project number | 5F32DA060070-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911815 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with psychiatric disorders, particularly those experiencing difficulties with learning from rewards and punishments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have psychiatric disorders or those whose symptoms do not involve learning and decision-making impairments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how specific brain regions, particularly the medial prefrontal cortex and the ventral tegmental area, interact to help individuals learn and adapt their behavior based on changing rewards and punishments. By using a behavioral task that involves learning to associate different cues with either positive or negative outcomes, the study aims to uncover the neural mechanisms that support flexible decision-making. Patients may benefit from insights gained into how these processes are disrupted in psychiatric disorders, potentially leading to new treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment options for psychiatric disorders characterized by impaired learning and decision-making.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in understanding the roles of the medial prefrontal cortex and ventral tegmental area in learning and decision-making, suggesting that this approach is grounded in established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lefner, Merridee Justice — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Lefner, Merridee Justice
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how a protein affects nerve cell movement in Alzheimer's disease
This study is looking at how a protein called APP affects the growth and movement of nerve cells, which is important for understanding Alzheimer's disease, and it aims to find out how problems with this protein might lead to nerve cell damage.
-
Understanding how the bone marrow environment drives AML resistance
A large NIH-funded project at Oregon Health & Science University is studying how the body’s own cell surroundings help acute myeloid leukemia become resistant to treatment, with potential paths to better therapies for patients.
-
Improving Safety at Work with a Low-Resource mHealth Program in Malaysia (and beyond)
A low-cost mobile health program to improve safety culture in Malaysian workplaces, with plans to adapt the approach for U.S. workers in high-risk industries.
-
Oregon Healthy Workplace Initiative for Better Health
A multi-site effort aims to improve the health and safety of workers by coordinating research, tools, and interventions across workplaces.
-
Understanding how AML cells become resistant to therapy over time
This project looks at why acute myeloid leukemia stops responding to treatment and how to design better drug combinations to prevent relapse.
-
Mechanisms and Countermeasures for Ultra-Potent Synthetic Opioid Overdose
A small, focused NIH grant aims to understand why ultra-potent synthetic opioids cause severe overdose and to explore potential countermeasures to keep people safe.
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.