# Striatal Circuits for Goal Pursuit

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $318,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
The striatum is critical for learning and performance of goal-directed behaviors. This critical function is
impaired in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. The goal of the proposed studies is to establish a causal
link between computations in striatal microcircuits and the learning and performance of goal directed
behaviors. It is hypothesized that the feedforward inhibitory microcircuit in the striatum explicitly represents the
proximity between self and goal, and uses this representation to command direction-specific velocity
controllers downstream to generate the appropriate behavior. We will use an integrative approach combining
wireless in vivo recording in awake behaving mice and 3D motion capture during continuous goal pursuit in
freely moving mice. Aim 1 will determine cell-type specific striatal representations underlying goal pursuit,
using objective quantification of movement parameters in freely moving mice and in vivo recording of single
unit activity. Aim 2 will determine the causal contributions of specific circuit components during goal pursuit,
using optogenetics to manipulate neural activity in defined neuronal populations bidirectionally. Finally, Aim 3
will quantify corticostriatal plasticity ex vivo following acquisition of goal-directed behavior, to determine the
relationship between corticostriatal glutamatergic transmission and learning. Whole-cell patch clamp
recordings will be done on brain slices from animals at different stages of training. Results from proposed
studies will shed light on the computational functions of striatal microcircuits in acquiring and generating goal
directed behaviors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9869910
- **Project number:** 5R01MH112883-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Henry Yin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $318,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-06-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9869910

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9869910, Striatal Circuits for Goal Pursuit (5R01MH112883-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9869910. Licensed CC0.

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