Project Grant K99NS147258

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, awarded Northwestern University $117,145 on August 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to conduct research on the neural dynamics underlying self-generated action decisions under uncertainty.

The research investigates how the brain determines when and where to act in the absence of external cues, with focus on cortical, thalamic, striatal, and cerebellar circuits. The K99 phase identifies neural dynamics that distinguish self-generated from sensory-driven temporal decisions using behavioral paradigms, simultaneous multi-area neural recordings, and computational methods, paired with advanced training in computational methods and closed-loop optogenetics. The K99/R00 phase establishes causal principles through real-time, closed-loop optogenetic perturbations to test how specific brain circuits influence the timing of self-generated decisions. The R00 phase extends the framework to self-generated spatial decisions, determining how the brain resolves ambiguity when external instructions are incomplete or absent.

Northwestern University's Sponsored Research Division serves as the recipient, with place of performance in Evanston, Illinois. The period of performance runs through July 31, 2028. The research advances fundamental knowledge of voluntary action and may inform therapeutic strategies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.