Understanding how the brain controls and regulates actions

Modeling and Mapping Human Action Regulation Networks

NIH-funded research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-10911212

This study is looking at how people control their actions when things around them change, especially how they decide to stop or switch what they're doing, and it could help those with conditions that make it hard to manage their actions.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUt Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Dallas, United States)
Project IDNIH-10911212 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how humans manage and regulate their actions in response to changing environments, focusing on the critical process of action inhibition. It aims to develop a neurocomputational model that integrates various factors influencing action regulation, such as the value of targets and the costs of changing actions. By examining three distinct types of action regulation—action selection, stopping, and switching—the study seeks to uncover the underlying neural mechanisms involved. Patients may benefit from insights gained through this research, particularly those with neuropsychiatric conditions that affect action control.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation or benefit include individuals diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disorders that impact action inhibition, such as Parkinson's disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome.

Not a fit: Patients without neuropsychiatric disorders or those whose conditions do not affect action regulation may not receive any benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders that involve action regulation issues, such as Parkinson's disease and Tourette syndrome.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in understanding action regulation, but this approach aims to integrate multiple factors in a novel way, making it a potentially groundbreaking effort.

Where this research is happening

Dallas, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.