Age-related changes in how brain rhythms during sleep affect memory in older adults
Official title: Age-related changes in spatiotemporal dynamics of propagating neural oscillations during sleep and relations to memory consolidation
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11429189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how sleep-related brain waves in healthy older adults relate to memory, with a focus on how aging might disrupt this process and contribute to Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $547,271 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG102844-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11429189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 65 and older without diagnosed dementia who are willing to undergo sleep recording and memory tests.
✕Less likely to help
Results may be less directly beneficial for individuals with advanced dementia or non-AD related sleep disorders.
What this research studies
In this study, researchers will compare how slow brain waves and sleep spindles travel through the brain of healthy young and older adults during the night. They will map the timing and movement of these rhythms to see how they support memory consolidation. The goal is to understand why sleep-dependent memory processing may decline with age and how this might relate to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The work builds on preliminary data to test whether disrupted propagation of sleep rhythms underlies weaker memory performance in older individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer understanding of sleep and memory in aging could guide new strategies to preserve memory and potentially reduce Alzheimer's-related memory problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests that sleep oscillations relate to memory, but the specific traveling-wave spatiotemporal dynamics across age groups are not yet clear.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spencer, Rebecca M C — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Spencer, Rebecca M C
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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.