Understanding how brain signals control parenting and feeding behavior
Official title: Dissecting sensory and endocrine control of parenting versus feeding
Funded at Univ of Maryland, College Park · NIH-11331609 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research study explores how animals decide between caring for offspring and getting food, and how this choice differs by sex and biology, using genetic tools in fish to reveal brain mechanisms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $423,826 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM142872-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11331609 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers and clinicians interested in neurobiology, behavior, and genetics, particularly related to feeding and parental care.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a direct link to brain-behavior research or those seeking immediate clinical interventions may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project investigates how genetics and hormones shape the decisions animals make between parenting and seeking food. Using cichlid fish, the team will test how specific genes and cells influence mouthbrooding and feeding, and how these processes vary with sex and physiological state. The researchers will apply modern genetic methods to manipulate gene function and observe resulting changes in behavior and brain activity. Findings could illuminate why similar brain systems drive different behaviors in males and females and across species. The work aims to connect basic brain biology to broader questions about obesity and neuropsychiatric conditions in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Insights into the brain circuits that balance parenting and energy needs could inform treatments for disorders involving motivation, feeding, and parental behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies in model systems have shown that specific genes and hormones influence parental care and feeding decisions, supporting the potential for meaningful discoveries.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Maryland, College Park
College Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Juntti, Scott Alan — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Juntti, Scott Alan
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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.