How adrenaline and noradrenaline signals work in the brain and dementia
Adrenergic transmission properties and implication
Using new fluorescent sensors to watch adrenaline-related signals in the brain, aiming to help people with Alzheimer's and similar cognitive problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300943 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers developed tiny light-sensitive sensors that glow when noradrenaline or adrenaline are released, letting scientists see these signals at very small scales. They will use these sensors in brain tissue and experimental models related to Alzheimer's to map when and where adrenergic signals occur and how they change. The work focuses on functions such as attention, sleep-wake balance, and other brain-body links that go wrong in dementia. Understanding these signal patterns may point to new targets for treatments or better ways to diagnose and track disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with Alzheimer's disease or related cognitive disorders who are interested in donating tissue, participating in linked observational efforts, or later joining trials informed by these findings.
Not a fit: Patients without cognitive symptoms or those not willing/able to provide samples or connect with the research team are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how adrenergic signaling breaks down in dementia and suggest new targets for therapies or biomarkers for disease progression.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier versions of genetically encoded sensors first allowed visualization of adrenergic signals, and these new high-performance sensors build on that progress to deliver much higher sensitivity and resolution.
Where this research is happening
Charlottesville, United States
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beenhakker, Mark — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Beenhakker, Mark
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.