Thursday, January 1, 2026 1/1/2026

Infralimbic circuit control over a sex-dependent switch in threat responding

Award Number: R01MH123803
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Infralimbic circuit control over a sex-dependent switch in threat responding - Project Summary Sex differences in the development and prevalence of mental illnesses are widespread, suggesting that the factors that promote disease risk and resilience may be distinct in men and women. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this possibility are poorly understood, however, because the vast majority of pre- clinical animal research has been conducted in males. In addition, the behavioral outcome measures used to understand learned fear have focused predominantly on passive, or freezing behavior. We recently identified an active, escape-like conditioned fear response in rats (“darting”) that occurred almost exclusively in females and was predictive of improved extinction retention. A better understanding of potentially sexually dimorphic mechanisms that drive this behavior could open new avenues for treatment of disorders that are more prevalent in women, like PTSD. We propose here to define the neural circuitry that drives the selection of conditioned darting vs. freezing, and how that integrates with known extinction circuits to promote extinction retention. Our preliminary data implicate the infralimbic cortex (IL) in this role, and we will use pharmacological, chemogenetic, and viral techniques to probe how descending IL projections to the dorsal and ventral periaqueductal gray (PAG) may mediate a strategic switch between active and passive responding and drive long-term behavioral flexibility through putative collaterals in the amygdala. We will then use sophisticated machine vision and machine learning-based tools to define the broader behavioral repertoires within which darting exists, thereby identifying a multifaceted phenotype that could provide insight into the mechanisms underlying individual differences in stress resilience and vulnerability.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$597 )
2026	2024	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	11/20/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$597
														Subtotal = -$597

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $434,852 )
2024	2024	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	5/29/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$434,852
														Subtotal = $434,852

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $445,292 )
2023	2023	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	6/1/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$445,292
														Subtotal = $445,292

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $490,159 )
2022	2022	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	5/11/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$490,159
														Subtotal = $490,159

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $445,292 )
2021	2021	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	6/9/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$445,292
														Subtotal = $445,292

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $503,268 )
2020	2020	NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY	360 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	7/24/2020	NEW	$503,268
														Subtotal = $503,268

Grand Total All Awards = $2,318,266

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Infralimbic circuit control over a sex-dependent switch in threat responding

Award Number: R01MH123803

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer