How aging affects memory-related brain circuits
Official title: Cognition & Hippocampal/Cortical Systems in Aging
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11397947 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers compare changes in memory brain circuits across older male and female animals to learn about memory problems that affect older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 1997 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $32,113 |
| NIH project number | 3P01AG009973-30S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397947 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be older adults experiencing memory decline or people at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease who are interested in participating in translational aging research.
✕Less likely to help
Young people without memory concerns or individuals with conditions unrelated to hippocampal memory circuits are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
This program studies how hippocampal and cortical brain circuits change with age using outbred Long Evans rats that show natural differences in memory as they get older. The team compares males and females and links specific circuit changes, including excess neural activity, to poorer memory performance. Findings from the animal work are compared with past human aging studies to guide ideas about why some people maintain memory while others decline. The goal is to use these circuit insights to point toward ways to protect episodic memory in aging and Alzheimer's risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain-circuit targets to help preserve or restore memory in older adults and people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have gone: Related animal-to-human translational studies have previously linked hippocampal hyperactivity to memory problems and provided useful leads, though direct clinical treatments are still being developed.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Knierim, James J — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Knierim, James J
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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.