Decoding the Brain’s Motivational Circuits

At the Costa Lab, we map the neural circuits (e.g. basolateral amygdala and nucleus accumbens) that drive reinforcement learning. This fundamental process dictates how organisms learn the value of stimuli and actions to shape their behavior (Averbeck and Costa, 2017).

Why focus on reinforcement learning? Because its solutions are computationally measurable and highly translatable. By evaluating identical tasks across humans, non-human primates, and rodents, we can rapidly forward- and back-translate our findings to identify novel targets for treating psychiatric disorders.

Bridging Systems Neuroscience and Clinical Intervention

Our core mission is to close the gap between foundational bench research and life-changing clinical care through a synergistic, three-step strategy. First, we identify the specific circuits and computations driving learning and decision-making in animal models, with a strong focus on non-human primates. Next, we leverage state-of-the-art computational and molecular toolkits to manipulate these networks and decode their exact roles in behavior. Finally, we validate our findings in the real world by applying the exact same behavioral tasks and computational frameworks to relevant clinical populations.

Advanced Techniques for Drug Development & Neuromodulation

By combining cross-species behavioral tracking with a multidisciplinary toolkit, the Costa Lab hones in on precision molecular targets for drug development and neuromodulation. Our diverse methodological approach integrates psychopharmacology(Costa et al., 2014; 2016), neurophysiology(Costa et al., 2019; 2020; Tang, Costa, et al., 2022), chemogenetics(Lee, Romac et al., 2025), single-nucleus transcriptomics(Totty et al., 2025), and synthetic serum markers(Lee, Romac et al., 2025).