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The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Initiative on Interoception is a two-phase effort to advance understanding of how organisms sense, interpret, integrate, and regulate internal bodily signals. Advancing interoception research is pivotal for health promotion and disease prevention, as impaired interoceptive function underlies conditions such as obesity, diabetes, anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, chronic pain, PTSD, IBS, fibromyalgia, and cardiovascular diseases. In alignment with NIH’s priorities for innovation and multidisciplinary science, Phase I (FY21–FY25) focuses on mapping the neural circuits connecting peripheral organs with the central nervous system, supporting collaborative projects at multiple biological levels through RFA-AT-21-003 . Findings will provide a foundation for future translational and clinical research on interoception’s role in nervous system and systemic disorders.
Phase II (FY26–FY30) will further advance and coordinate interoception research across the NIH, as outlined inExpired RFA-AT-25-004: NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) (U24, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) . Through the BPCCIR U24 cooperative agreement, this phase will establish multidisciplinary teams, foster collaboration, and build digital platforms to bridge brain and body research. By breaking traditional biomedical boundaries, the initiative aims to yield novel strategies for understanding, preventing, and treating some of the nation’s most pressing health challenges, ultimately improving population health and addressing root causes of chronic and mental health disorders.
NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research