# A formal group theory-based model in primates for studying interactive social behavior and its dysfunction

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2024 · $500,511

## Abstract

A formal group theory-based model in primates for studying interactive social
behavior and its dysfunction
Unlike most forms of solitary behavior that have been broadly studied through animal models, remarkably little
is known about the single-neuronal or causal bases of interactive social behavior and its dysfunction. One of the
major reasons for this limitation is the general lack of animal models and framework for studying the neural
substrates of social behavior whereby two or more individuals interact in real-time and in a way that is
amenable to neuronal analysis or perturbation techniques. This limited understanding impacts not only wide
spanning fields of study such as ecology, neurology and psychology but also our ability to treat conditions such
as autism-spectrum disorder in which social behavior is prominently affected. Primates are highly social
animals that share many behaviors in common with humans and can serve as a potential model for
understanding the basic elements that underlie interactive behavior. In this proposal, we aim to build on our
team’s unique combined experience with jointly interacting primate pairs and groups, social theory, multi-site
neuronal recordings and time-resolved neuromodulation techniques to begin identifying some of the basic
neuronal encoding components of interactive behaviors, their representation within and across cortical
populations, and their dynamic across short and long temporal scales. Using social group theory in primates
together with population modeling and perturbation techniques, we will investigate core social constructs such
as agency identity, group dynamics and decision strategies essential for effective social behavior. We will also
test specific hypotheses on the causal contribution that distinct frontal, temporal and parietal areas play in social
interaction and what exact aspects are involved. Taken together, this proposal aims to provide a formal theory-
based model by which to begin investigating interactive social behavior at the single-neuronal, population and
circuit-based levels. We believe that this is an essential new line of investigation and has the potential to open
up a poorly explored but important field within neuroscience and from which to begin testing neuro-modulatory
interventions aimed at treating psychosocial disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10796829
- **Project number:** 5R01MH131664-02
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Ziv Williams
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $500,511
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-03-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10796829

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10796829, A formal group theory-based model in primates for studying interactive social behavior and its dysfunction (5R01MH131664-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10796829. Licensed CC0.

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