Understanding how the brain processes rewards and aversive signals
Official title: Revealing the complexity of dis-inhibitory circuitries
Funded at Trustees of Indiana University · NIH-11039382 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain brain cells, called VIP interneurons, react to both good and bad experiences, and it's designed to help us understand how our brains process different signals, which could be useful for anyone interested in how we learn and adapt to our surroundings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $435,875 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS140988-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11039382 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with autism spectrum disorder or related attentional deficits.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to neurological signaling or those who do not have autism or attentional deficits may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how specific neurons in the brain, known as VIP interneurons, respond to both rewarding and aversive stimuli. By studying these neurons in a controlled environment, the researchers aim to uncover the complexity of their functions and how they contribute to processing important signals in the brain. The approach involves using advanced imaging techniques and experiments on mice to observe the activity of these neurons during different stimuli. This could lead to a better understanding of how the brain adapts to various experiences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of neurological conditions like autism and attention deficits, potentially leading to improved treatments.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific focus on VIP interneurons is novel, similar research on neuronal signaling has shown promising results in understanding brain function.
Where this research is happening
-
Trustees of Indiana University
Bloomington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hajos, Norbert — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Hajos, Norbert
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cloud-based tools to find genes linked to congenital heart defects in kids
Aimed at building and using cloud-based biostatistical tools to identify genes related to congenital heart defects in children using large pediatric datasets.
-
Understanding how extreme weather and disasters affect women’s health in sub-Saharan Africa
A data-driven project uses mobile phone data and AI to study how shocks like weather disasters and conflicts impact women’s health in sub-Saharan Africa.
-
Cash transfers in South Africa to reduce dementia risk in later life
This project tests whether government cash transfers in rural South Africa help protect people’s thinking and memory as they age.
-
Functional lipids shape memory of membrane proteins like Kir channels and GPCRs
A research project will study how cholesterol and other lipids in cell membranes affect how membrane proteins work, using advanced NMR and computer simulations, with results that could inform understanding of how these proteins contribute to disease.
-
Understanding HIV immune escape to guide vaccines and cures
Researchers are building a robust computational method to identify universal HIV escape patterns across diverse viral strains to help design better vaccines and therapies for people living with HIV.
-
Personalized brain stimulation to boost memory in aging and dementia
This project uses personalized, adaptive brain stimulation to try to improve memory and thinking in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.
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.