Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Role of prefrontostriatal circuits in effort-based, cost-benefit decision making

Award Number: R01MH131858
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2028

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Role of prefrontostriatal circuits in effort-based, cost-benefit decision making - PROJECT SUMMARY Ongoing evaluation of cost-benefit tradeoffs guides action selection during adaptive decision making. When outcomes change, the utility of potential actions is re-evaluated to determine whether to persist or deviate from an existing strategy. Disturbances in the neural mechanisms underlying cost-benefit decision making can lead to pathological behavior (e.g., addiction, OCD, depression/anxiety). Effort-based decision making is specifically disrupted in patients with depression, schizophrenia and substance use disorders. Although pathological behavior in these conditions is linked to dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, we lack the detailed neurobiological understanding necessary to design targeted therapeutic interventions. We will address this deficit using cutting edge tools for measuring and manipulating neural activity in freely behaving animals. We will test the specific hypothesis that anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to nucleus accumbens (NAc) projection neurons encode updates to action selection policies based on new effort-reward tradeoffs, and that inputs to the NAc instantiate new, effortful choice strategies. In Aim 1, we will use miniaturized head-mounted microscopes to determine how ACC and ACCàNAc projection neuron activity is organized to represent effort-related cost- benefit computations influencing action selection. In Aim 2, we will manipulate the activity of ACCàNAc projection neurons with optogenetics, during flexible decision making driven by changes in effort-related value. Finally, in Aim 3, we will focus on prefrontal projections to the NAc, measuring and inhibiting activity at ACCàNAc terminals and comparing with inputs from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We will do this during decision making in the context of both effort and delay-costs as a tool to further refine our understanding of how NAc integrates prefrontal inputs and translates these into action selection. This proposal directly addresses a pressing need to understand the cell-type and circuit-specific mechanisms that mediate cost-benefit decision making. Our research can inform pharmacological, psychotherapeutic and brain stimulation interventions for a variety of psychiatric conditions characterized by disordered cost-benefit evaluations and decision making.


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 = $528,561 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	6/2/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$528,561
														Subtotal = $528,561

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $526,198 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	6/12/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$526,198
														Subtotal = $526,198

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $524,943 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	5/24/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$524,943
														Subtotal = $524,943

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $536,764 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	7/26/2023	NEW	$536,764
														Subtotal = $536,764

Grand Total All Awards = $2,116,466

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Role of prefrontostriatal circuits in effort-based, cost-benefit decision making

Award Number: R01MH131858

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

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

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2028

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer