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A hierarchy of timescales for switching between states of neural activity during consumption decisions

Award Number: R01NS104818
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/15/2017
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2024

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A hierarchy of timescales for switching between states of neural activity during consumption decisions - PROJECT SUMMARY The investigators will combine experimental studies with computational simulations to uncover the neural circuit mechanisms underlying taste choice behavior. A fundamental question to be addressed is how the neural activity induced by a given taste is impacted by the recent sampling of another taste and/or by the expectation that another taste is forthcoming. We will analyse data produced from ensemble recordings of neural activity and make use of optogenetic techniques that alter neural activity, to further our work on how specific features of such activity impact behavior during a decision making task. These data will provide fuel to our modeling efforts, with which we will produce a framework that can generalize to other sensory modalities, whenever decisions are based on a consideration of one stimulus at a time (even if two stimuli are present) rather than on a parallel processing of two or more stimuli simultaneously—that is, this novel framework will allow us to understand the behavior of animals when faced with a choice between any two separate stimuli. Thus, a transformative aspect of the research will be the development of a new framework for the analysis of decision-making when the choice to be made is whether to stick with the current stimulus or to switch to another. In such decision making tasks, which are ubiquitous in natural settings, the stimulus itself is chosen by the subject rather than being controled by the experimenter. Our recordings of the animal's behavior simultaneously with its neural activity allow us to tightly constrain these first dynamic models of such a process. Taste is an important, albeit underused, modality for addressing issues of sensory processing, in that it has a strong connection to behavior—indeed it is well-nigh impossible for an animal to sample a taste without a behavioral response. Moreover, given that tastants can be intrinisically hedonic or aversive, animals are internally driven to make responses and will do so without the months of training—which inevitably rewires the brain—required for animal training in behavioral tasks based on other sensory modalities. Therefore taste is ideally suited to the study of naturalistic 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: 2025 ( Subtotal = -$15 )
2025	2022	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	4/9/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$15
														Subtotal = -$15

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2022	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	10/30/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $321,305 )
2022	2022	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	5	3/24/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,131
2022	2022	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	11/19/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$289,174
														Subtotal = $321,305

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $321,305 )
2021	2021	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	4	1/18/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,131
2021	2021	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	12/8/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$289,174
														Subtotal = $321,305

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $321,305 )
2020	2020	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	3	2/12/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,131
2020	2020	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	11/19/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$289,174
														Subtotal = $321,305

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $321,305 )
2019	2019	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	11/28/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$321,305
														Subtotal = $321,305

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $321,305 )
2018	2018	BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY	415 SOUTH ST	WALTHAM	MA	02453	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	12/11/2017	NEW	$321,305
														Subtotal = $321,305

Grand Total All Awards = $1,606,510

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A hierarchy of timescales for switching between states of neural activity during consumption decisions

Award Number: R01NS104818

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

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

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/15/2017

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2024

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