The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded Baylor College of Medicine a $504,453 Project Grant (CFDA 93.242 - Mental Health Research Grants) to study the neural circuit mechanisms underlying observational spatial working memory. The 5-year project will utilize an observational spatial learning task in rats to investigate how interactions between the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex enable the acquisition of vicarious reward signals and maintenance of spatial trajectories during observational learning. The research aims to advance the understanding of behavioral and neural processes involved in observational learning, which may provide insights into how this cognitive capability is impaired in psychiatric disorders. The project will combine behavioral testing, high-density neural recordings, and closed-loop electrical/optogenetic manipulations to elucidate the key neural circuit mechanisms. This grant award reflects NIMH's broader mission to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research.
Generated 3/4/25, 7:34 AM