How age-related changes in brain networks may drive memory loss and dementia
CRCNS: Assessing long-term impacts of disruption to large-scale brain networks
Researchers will use brain imaging in mice to learn how aging-related changes in large-scale brain networks relate to memory problems and Alzheimer-type dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184470 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project follows how brain network organization changes as animals age by taking awake resting-state MRI scans in the same mice from young adulthood through old age. The team will quantify a measure called system segregation to see whether the brain’s networks become less distinct over time. They will link these imaging changes to tests of memory and learning in the same animals to connect brain wiring with behavior. The goal is to build a precise, longitudinal model of brain-network aging that can help explain findings seen in older adults and people with Alzheimer-type dementia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Findings would be most relevant to older adults with age-related memory decline, mild cognitive impairment, or early Alzheimer-type dementia.
Not a fit: Younger people without memory concerns or patients with non‑Alzheimer neurological conditions are unlikely to get direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early network changes that predict memory decline and point to new targets for dementia prevention or treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Human brain imaging studies have linked declining network segregation to worsening memory and higher dementia risk, while using longitudinal awake mouse fMRI to model these changes is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kahn, Itamar — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kahn, Itamar
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.