Controlling brain cell activity to reduce seizures and improve memory in epilepsy
Official title: Closed-loop Control of Interneuron Spike Timing in Epilepsy
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11039954 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how adjusting the timing of certain brain cells might help reduce seizures and improve memory in people with epilepsy, using a special technique in lab animals to see how these changes can make a difference.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $473,016 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS136590-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11039954 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy who experience frequent seizures and cognitive impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with epilepsy types other than temporal lobe epilepsy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how controlling the timing of specific brain cells, called interneurons, can affect seizures and memory problems in epilepsy. Using a novel technique called optogenetics, researchers will manipulate the activity of these cells in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy. By observing how changes in interneuron timing influence seizure frequency and cognitive function, the study aims to uncover the relationship between brain activity and epilepsy symptoms. This approach could lead to new therapeutic strategies for managing epilepsy and its cognitive effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for epilepsy that reduce seizures and enhance memory function.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of optogenetics in epilepsy research is a growing field, this specific approach to controlling interneuron timing is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shuman, Tristan — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Shuman, Tristan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
A study tests a brain-quieting system that uses light to precisely time certain brain cells in epilepsy-prone mice to see if this can lessen seizures and improve memory.
-
Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
-
Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
-
New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
-
Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
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.