# Multimodal characterization of affective visual processing in the early aftermath of trauma

> **NIH NIH K01** · MCLEAN HOSPITAL · 2024 · $179,707

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Understanding the neurobiology mediating susceptibility to trauma and stress-related disorders is
necessary for future translational efforts to improve treatment and prevention. This Mentored Career
Development Award proposal is tailored to facilitate the candidate’s training in multimodal assessment of brain
and behavior, in addition to clinical assessment and computational psychiatry approaches, to elucidate the
neurobiology of susceptibility to posttraumatic dysfunction. The proposed research training plan will build the
candidate’s skills in multidimensional assessment of perceptual (i.e., visual) processing in the early aftermath of
trauma, advanced computational modeling of behavioral processes, and ‘big-data’ modeling approaches for
fusion of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. This training is complemented by mentored
training in clinical assessment of trauma-related dysfunction and research program management necessary for
transition to an independent career as a translational neuroscientist. The completion of the K01 will facilitate the
candidate’s transition to an independent investigator capable of developing new neuroscience-based predictive
models and preventative strategies to lessen the burden of trauma and stress-related disorders.
 PTSD is typically conceptualized as a dysfunction of arousal and negative valence systems with the NIH
Research Domain Criteria framework. However, new research demonstrates that neural circuitry of affective
visual perceptual processing, in particular affective visual processing, may be a significant risk factor for PTSD.
Limited work to date has probed affective visual circuitry in the early aftermath of trauma. The proposed research
will leverage state-of-the-art MRI data collection and analysis with computational cognitive neuroscience
approaches to elucidate impacts of trauma on affective visual processing. The project will thus better
characterize an understudied aspect of the RDoC perceptual framework in trauma to integrate visual circuitry
variability in both threat-related processes and PTSD-related dysfunction.
 Previous research in recently traumatized individuals has also not leveraged multimodal data approaches
to establish generalizable markers of PTSD susceptibility. This project will address these limitations by focusing
on perceptual circuits and by integrating pre-existing large datasets of trauma and PTSD with multimodal data
fusion analytics to assess the robustness of observed neurobiological signatures of trauma-related dysfunction
vulnerability. Further, the proposal seeks to use standardized, open processing pipelines to enhance
reproducibility and replicability of observed findings to promote generalizability. The research training plan will
occur at McLean Hospital, the leading psychiatric research hospital of Harvard Medical School. The institution,
and academic culture in greater Boston provides an outstanding environment and access t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10749908
- **Project number:** 5K01MH129828-02
- **Recipient organization:** MCLEAN HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Nathaniel G Harnett
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $179,707
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-12-15 → 2026-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10749908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10749908, Multimodal characterization of affective visual processing in the early aftermath of trauma (5K01MH129828-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10749908. Licensed CC0.

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