Understanding how the brain makes complex decisions
Official title: Mechanisms of multi-attribute decision-making
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-10932265 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how our brains make smart choices when faced with complicated decisions, especially when we have to think about different factors at the same time, and it aims to help us understand why some people with mental health issues might struggle with decision-making.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $721,370 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH134845-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10932265 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals with psychiatric disorders that affect decision-making abilities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without any decision-making deficits or those not diagnosed with psychiatric disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the brain processes information to make optimal decisions, particularly in complex scenarios where multiple attributes must be weighed. It focuses on the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region crucial for decision-making, and aims to develop a comprehensive model of how this area functions during multi-attribute choices. By employing a multi-modal approach, the research will explore different frameworks of decision formation, including how values of various attributes are integrated or compete against each other. This could provide insights into decision-making deficits commonly seen in psychiatric disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment of decision-making deficits in patients with psychiatric disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in understanding decision-making processes in the brain, making this approach both relevant and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rich, Erin L — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Rich, Erin L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how octopuses integrate sensory information and make decisions
This study is exploring how octopuses use their arms to grip things by looking closely at their nervous system and movements, which could help us understand their amazing abilities better.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Shared decision-making to prevent cancer in South Africa
A multi-level, school-based program in South Africa helps families, teachers, and health workers make informed choices to prevent cervical and related cancers, especially where HIV is common.
-
Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
A patient-centered decision tool called MyPath aims to help postpartum women with substance use disorders choose and keep effective contraception after giving birth.
-
Alcohol use and suicidal thoughts: how decision-making affects risk
This project looks at how acute alcohol use and people’s decision-making patterns relate to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adults.
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.