Understanding how the brain processes vibrations and attention
Official title: Encoding and modulation of vibration representations in human neocortex
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11232687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how our brains understand vibrations that help us feel textures, and it’s for anyone interested in how attention affects our sense of touch, especially people with brain injuries or age-related memory issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $41,691 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS127777-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with acquired brain injuries or age-related cognitive deficits who may benefit from improved sensory processing therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cognitive impairments or those not experiencing issues with sensory processing may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how our brain encodes and processes vibrations, which are crucial for our sense of touch and texture perception. By examining how attention affects our ability to perceive different vibration frequencies, the study aims to uncover the neural mechanisms involved in this sensory processing. The researchers will use advanced techniques to analyze how both spatial and feature-based attention influence vibration perception in the brain. This work could lead to a better understanding of sensory processing in conditions like acquired brain injury and age-related cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance rehabilitation strategies for patients with cognitive impairments related to touch and vibration perception.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding sensory processing, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yau, Jeffrey M — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Yau, Jeffrey M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Multimodal AI to improve genetic diagnosis of congenital heart disease
A new AI tool uses multiple types of patient data to help doctors find genetic causes of congenital heart disease more accurately.
-
Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Children
This project watches how often common vaccines prevent illnesses in kids who are in the hospital or at the emergency department, and compares them with healthy children getting well-child care.
-
Triple gene therapy approach to heal the heart after a heart attack
A new therapy combines three genetic approaches delivered by a virus to help the heart heal after a heart attack.
-
Thalamic sleep circuit changes in Alzheimer's disease
Aims to understand how sleep-related brain activity in a key sleep regulator called the TRN affects Alzheimer’s progression and whether boosting TRN function could slow symptoms.
-
Cardiomyocyte-fibroblast signaling in atrial fibrillation
A researcher at Baylor College of Medicine is studying how signals between heart muscle cells and supportive heart cells influence atrial fibrillation, with the goal of finding new ways to prevent or treat this common heart rhythm problem.
-
UMPIRE: Keeping Kidneys Healthy for Babies with Spina Bifida
A care protocol for newborns with spina bifida aims to protect kidney function by thoughtful bladder management and monitoring from birth.
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.