Funded Awards

HNN U24 DISSEMINATION PROJECT SUMMARY The Human Neocortical Neurosolver (HNN) neural modeling tool was developed with BRAIN Initiative funding (R01EB022889: 09/2016–06/2020) to meet the Initiative’s goal to “develop innovative technologies to understand brain circuits and ensembles of circuits th

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Effective interpretation of sensory stimuli relies on the ability to discriminate stimulus features and link them to appropriate behavioral responses depending on past experience.

PROJECT SUMMARY The vertebrate brain has evolved to enable complex social interactions, essential for survival. Brains of animals engaged in a shared social interaction exhibit inter-brain synchronization of neural activity, detectable at several levels of analysis.

Project Summary Noninvasive high precision neuromodulation technologies are crucial for probing mechanisms of neural circuits and enabling the non-pharmacological treatment of brain disorders.

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Because neurons integrate and process information via modulation of their membrane potential, the ability to monitor voltage is critical to understanding how single and groups of neurons compute.

Project Summary/Abstract Cloud-based analyses and easily shared data formats are revolutionizing neuroimaging. We will develop software to fill gaps created by these two trends. We will develop and refine software to visualize and analyze the data from the BRAIN Initiative.

SUMMARY Norepinephrine (NE) is a neurotransmitter released by a small number of neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC), with extensive innervation of the neocortex. Prior work in humans and other mammals led to the hypothesis that LC-NE neurons modulate multiple forms of decision making.

Project Summary Aggression is an evolutionarily conserved behavior that controls social hierarchies and protects valuable resources like mates, food, and territory. In most cases, aggression is a necessary, adaptive component of social behavior.

In recent years, the NIH has awarded over $850M annually to the numerous research institutions and hospitals within the Texas Medical Center (TMC; Houston, TX), producing ever-increasing numbers of biomedical discov- eries.

Whole-brain mapping at the cellular and subcellular levels is crucial to systematically understand brain functions and disorders.

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Neuropeptide modulation of neuronal circuits is strongly linked to many crucial behaviors such as exploration, stress, memory formation, learning, and many pathophysiological conditions.

SUMMARY The brain is composed of thousands of highly specialized cell types that form very specific synaptic connections with each other. Together, these connections form neural circuits that are the structural basis of brain function.

ABSTRACT Understanding the function of neural circuits requires thorough investigation of two circuit elements: cell types and connectivity.

Project Summary. We propose a new coil array that will enable next-generation causal brain mapping with unprecedented flexibility, resolution and precision.

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Humans have highly advanced cognitive abilities and motor skills, characteristics which are reflected in the enlarged size and cell diversity of our central nervous system (CNS).

TITLE: IDENTIFYING THE NEURAL MECHANISMS OF GOAL-DIRECTED DECISION-MAKING IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE USING CLOSED-LOOP DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION PROJECT SUMMARY People with Parkinson’s disease commonly suffer from non-motor symptoms, including motivation deficits, that impact quality of life more than c

Project Summary The goal of this work is to achieve high-speed optical fluorescence imaging of 3D brain volume in moving, behaving mice, using miniature scanning mirrors in an implantable, fiber-coupled microscope.

PROJECT SUMMARY As we get older, we learn to modulate our behaviors to optimize reward outcomes. These adaptive choices are orchestrated by current sensory conditions, internal cognitive states, and future expectations.

Project Summary / Abstract Although BRAIN 2.0 called for the BRAIN Initiative to “prioritize diversity and inclusion as a fundamental pillar,” research with the human neuroimaging technologies being developed by BRAIN Initiative continues to rely on non-representative convenience samples.

Abstract Optical methods provide high-resolution, non-invasive measurement of neural function, ranging from single neurons to entire populations, in the intact brain. Nevertheless, limited penetration depth, spatial scale and temporal resolution remain the main challenges for optical imaging.