Understanding how the brain connects thoughts and actions in movement disorders
Official title: Neural representation of perceptual decisions, confidence, and actions in human basal ganglia and thalamus
Funded at New York University · NIH-11245831 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain parts of the brain that help with movement affect how we turn our thoughts into actions, and it's for people with Parkinson's disease who are getting treatment with deep brain stimulation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 12, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $527,037 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS145489-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11245831 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with movement disorders, particularly those undergoing deep brain stimulation for conditions like Parkinson's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with purely cognitive disorders without motor symptoms may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how brain structures involved in movement, particularly the basal ganglia and motor thalamus, influence the connection between our thoughts and actions. By recording and stimulating these brain areas in awake patients who are receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes, the study aims to explore how neural responses are linked to decision-making and movement initiation. Participants will engage in tasks that require them to make judgments about faces while their brain activity is monitored, providing insights into the cognitive and motor processes that may be disrupted in conditions like Parkinson's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for movement disorders by better understanding the brain mechanisms that integrate cognition and motor function.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been research on the separate roles of cognition and movement, this approach of integrating both through direct brain stimulation in awake subjects is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kiani, Roozbeh — New York University
- Study coordinator: Kiani, Roozbeh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Adolescent girls in Uganda: a long-term look at how money empowerment and family support affect HIV prevention, care, and mental health
A long-term study in rural Uganda will test whether an intervention that combines economic empowerment and family strengthening can help HIV-negative and HIV-affected adolescent girls move safely into young adulthood.
-
Long-term HIV prevention and mental health support for adolescent girls and young women in Uganda
A long-term program in rural Uganda tests if combining economic support and family strengthening helps teenage girls stay HIV-free and improve mental health as they grow into young adults.
-
SNEngage: How Social Networks and Supports Shape Mental Health Care for Black and Latino Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
A long-term study following Black and Latino individuals with serious mental illness to learn how their social networks affect engagement with mental health services and overall well-being.
-
Endosomal signaling and cancer pain control in oral cancer
A study to understand how signals inside nerve cells and supportive cells contribute to pain in people with oral cancer.
-
Accelerating hydroxyurea use for sickle cell disease in Nigeria
A pragmatic study in Nigeria aims to help doctors use hydroxyurea more consistently for people with sickle cell disease.
-
Preventing youth violence by better delivering proven programs to middle schools
A large study in middle schools will test practical ways to help teachers implement a well-known social-emotional learning program so it reaches students as intended.
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.