AMPK's role in building myelin in the developing brain
Friend or Foe? The AMPK Signaling Pathway During Developmental Myelination
This project looks at whether changing the energy-sensing protein AMPK changes how myelin forms in young brains, which could matter for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302706 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a parent, this work aims to understand how an energy sensor called AMPK controls the cells that make myelin during early brain development. The researchers use laboratory mouse models and genetic tools, and they will also test drugs that activate AMPK (like metformin) to see how timing and level of activation change myelin growth. Prior work shows AMPK activation can help repair myelin in adult mice, but early-life effects may be different, so the team will compare developmental stages. The goal is to learn whether AMPK-targeting treatments could be safe or harmful during childhood development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll people — it is a lab study in mice — but its results would be most relevant to infants and young children with neurodevelopmental conditions linked to myelination, such as autism or ADHD.
Not a fit: Adults with established demyelinating disease or people outside early developmental stages are unlikely to receive direct benefit from these preclinical experiments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help guide safer use of AMPK-activating drugs in children and suggest new ways to support healthy myelin development.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies found metformin can boost remyelination in adult mice and clinical trials are exploring AMPK activators for MS, but effects during early postnatal development are not well understood and may differ.
Where this research is happening
Stony Brook, United States
- State University New York Stony Brook — Stony Brook, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Colognato, Holly a — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Colognato, Holly a
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 below.