Understanding how brain regions interact to evaluate rewards and make decisions
Official title: Hippocampal interactions with striatal subnetworks for reward prediction and evaluation
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-10929382 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how two key parts of the brain work together to help us understand and respond to rewards, which is important for figuring out how addiction happens. By observing how these brain areas react during tasks related to rewards in animals, researchers hope to learn more about decision-making and addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $455,970 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA051652-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10929382 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation or benefit from this research would be individuals struggling with drug addiction or those at risk of developing addiction.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have issues related to drug addiction or decision-making processes may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how two important brain regions, the hippocampus and the ventral striatum, work together to process and evaluate rewards. By studying these interactions, the research aims to uncover how the brain assigns value to past and future actions, which is crucial for understanding drug addiction. The approach involves examining the activity of specific neuronal populations in these regions during reward-related tasks in animal models. This could lead to insights into the mechanisms of decision-making and addiction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic targets for treating drug addiction.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in understanding brain interactions related to reward processing, making this a promising area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sjulson, Lucas L — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Sjulson, Lucas L
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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.