Understanding what drives social motivation in autism
Official title: Behavioral and neural mechanisms mediating social motivation in a rat model for ASD
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11224062 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using rats with an autism-linked gene change to learn how brain circuits and behavior shape the drive to seek social interaction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | December 16, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $412,962 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH129310-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11224062 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll people; it uses lab rats, so patients cannot participate directly.
✕Less likely to help
Because this is animal research, people currently living with autism are unlikely to receive direct or immediate benefits from the project.
What this research studies
This work uses rats that carry a SHANK3 gene change linked to autism to study why social interaction may be less motivating for people with ASD. In the lab, rats choose between social contact and an addictive drug in an operant task while researchers record brain activity to identify circuits tied to social motivation. Advanced machine-learning and computational ethology tools analyze natural social behaviors and neural signals, focusing on regions such as the amygdala. The project aims to map neural mechanisms that could explain reduced social drive in autism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could reveal brain targets or strategies that help increase social motivation in people with autism.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and genetic studies have linked SHANK3 and specific brain circuits to social behavior, but combining operant social-choice paradigms with computational neuroethology is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Venniro, Marco — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Venniro, Marco
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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.