Understanding how cerebellar circuits affect thinking and emotional responses
Official title: Recruitment of Cerebellar Circuits to Modulate Cognition, Reward and Avoidance of Threat
Funded at VA Puget Sound Healthcare System · NIH-11098426 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain parts of the brain help with thinking and memory, especially for people with conditions like PTSD and brain injuries, to find new ways to improve their cognitive abilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Puget Sound Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005984-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098426 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include adults with psychiatric conditions such as PTSD or traumatic brain injury who experience cognitive difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without psychiatric disorders or cognitive impairments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of specific brain regions in the cerebellum that are activated during complex cognitive tasks. It aims to understand how these circuits influence cognitive functions such as attention and memory, particularly in individuals with psychiatric disorders like PTSD and TBI. By studying both human and non-human primate models, the research seeks to uncover the anatomical and functional organization of these brain areas, which could lead to targeted therapies for cognitive impairments. The findings may provide insights into how dopamine signaling affects cognition and emotional responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic options for patients with cognitive impairments related to psychiatric disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of cerebellar circuits in cognition, suggesting that this approach may lead to significant advancements in treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Puget Sound Healthcare System
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carlson, Erik Sean — VA Puget Sound Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Carlson, Erik Sean
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cognition After War: A new {HCAP} for older adults and their children
A study will create a standardized cognitive test battery for older veterans and their midlife children to understand how early-life war exposure might influence dementia risk.
-
Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Check for Older Adults and Their Children
A new program will create a standardized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war experiences might raise dementia risk in older adults and potentially affect their midlife children.
-
Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Test Series and ADRD Risk Study for Older Adults and Their Children
A study will create a harmonized set of cognitive tests and look at how early-life war exposure may relate to dementia risk in older adults and their midlife children.
-
Cognition after war: a new, harmonized brain-health check for older adults and their children
A new plan will create a harmonized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war exposure might influence later dementia risk in older adults and their midlife children.
-
ROMA:Cog trial compares single vs multiple arterial grafts for brain health after CABG
A study in adults undergoing heart bypass surgery will test whether one arterial graft or multiple arterial grafts affect brain function and brain injury markers.
-
SynGAP1: New Ways It Shapes Synapses and Thinking
A Johns Hopkins team is studying how a protein called SynGAP1 helps brain connections and thinking, to understand autism-related changes.
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.