How amyloid beta harms memory-related synapses via signaling proteins
Postsynaptic kinase/phosphatase networks in amyloid beta-induced synaptic dysfunction
Looks at whether targeting specific signaling proteins can stop amyloid beta from weakening the brain connections that support memory in Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194252 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on how amyloid beta disrupts synapses in the hippocampus, the brain area important for memory. The team studies the postsynaptic signaling scaffold AKAP79/150 and related enzymes (kinases and phosphatases) that control AMPA receptor movement in and out of synapses. Work uses laboratory models, including mouse models that accumulate amyloid beta and experiments applying soluble amyloid beta to brain tissue, to watch how synaptic plasticity changes. The goal is to identify steps in the signaling pathway that could be targeted to preserve synapses and memory.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment related to amyloid pathology would be the eventual candidates for treatments that come from this work, although the grant itself appears to be preclinical lab research rather than a patient trial.
Not a fit: People whose dementia is not driven by amyloid beta or who have advanced, irreversible brain damage may be less likely to benefit from findings that target amyloid-driven synapse loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to protect synapses and slow memory decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have performed: Related animal and lab studies have shown that amyloid beta disrupts synaptic signaling and that modifying these pathways can help in animals, but translation to effective human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dell'acqua, Mark L — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Dell'acqua, Mark L
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.