Abnormal cerebellar nerve activity linked to dystonia
Official title: Defining a Dystonia Specific Spiking Signature in Cerebellar Nuclei Cells
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11117196 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will look for distinctive nerve-cell firing patterns in the cerebellum that may explain dystonia in children and adults using mouse models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00NS130463-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117196 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People of any age with primary or secondary dystonia would be the most relevant candidates for future clinical follow-ups or trials informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without dystonia or whose symptoms arise from unrelated non-cerebellar causes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
You should know this work uses mouse models and precise brain recordings to search for a dystonia-specific electrical pattern in cerebellar output neurons. The team records spiking activity in living mice with genetic, developmental, and optogenetic models that produce dystonia-like movements. They compare firing patterns across models and ages to determine when and how cerebellar output diverges from normal. Findings could point to specific brain signals to target with future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify specific cerebellar signals that become targets for new dystonia treatments or brain-directed therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have observed abnormal cerebellar spiking in several dystonia models, but defining a consistent, dystonia-specific spiking signature across models is a novel aim.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Der Heijden, Meike Esther — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Van Der Heijden, Meike Esther
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.