Understanding how people navigate spaces and its link to mental health
Official title: Characterizing the cognitive computations underlying spatial navigation
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-10726662 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how problems with finding your way around might connect to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia, and it aims to create new ways to understand and test these navigation challenges in a friendly and helpful way.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2023 |
| Project end | September 4, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $411,919 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH134100-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10726662 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with anxiety, depression, autism, or schizophrenia who experience difficulties with spatial navigation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without any mental health disorders or those who do not experience navigation difficulties may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how deficits in spatial navigation relate to various mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. It aims to develop new computational models and behavioral tests that better capture the cognitive processes involved in navigating spaces. By using innovative methods that incorporate body movement and environmental cues, the study seeks to uncover the underlying neural mechanisms that contribute to navigation difficulties in affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment strategies for mental health disorders associated with navigation deficits.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding navigation deficits in mental health, but this approach aims to provide novel insights through advanced computational modeling.
Where this research is happening
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University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ekstrom, Arne D — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Ekstrom, Arne D
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.