How age-related changes in a memory region of the brain may lead to psychosis
Deciphering Dentate Gyrus Malfunction in Age-Dependent Hippocampal Hyperactivity: Implications for Psychogenesis
This project looks at whether lowering activity in a small memory-related brain area could explain psychosis that starts in late teens and early adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248413 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers began by studying postmortem human brains from people with schizophrenia to find clues about what goes wrong in the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus important for memory. They then use those findings in lab models to selectively reduce activity of dentate gyrus excitatory neurons using a chemogenetic tool called DREADD. The team examines how these changes cause hippocampal overactivity and psychosis-like effects across different ages, focusing on the late-adolescence to early-adulthood window. The goal is to connect age-dependent cellular changes to symptoms so future treatments can target the right cells at the right time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with schizophrenia and young adults (late teens to early 30s) who are showing early signs of psychosis would be most relevant to this line of research.
Not a fit: People without psychotic symptoms or whose symptoms stem from conditions unrelated to hippocampal dysfunction are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new cellular targets and timing for treatments aimed at preventing or reducing psychosis in late teens and young adults.
How similar studies have performed: Related animal studies have altered dentate gyrus and hippocampal activity to produce psychosis-like changes, but translating chemogenetic approaches to human treatment is novel and untested clinically.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yamamoto, Jun — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Yamamoto, Jun
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.