How brevican changes nerve cell excitability in the brain
Official title: The effect of brevican glycosylation on neuronal excitability
Funded at University of Mississippi · NIH-11569096 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH grant is exploring how a brain protein called brevican, and its sugar tags, affect nerve cell activity in a specific brain area tied to fear and stress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Mississippi NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $182,755 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM130460-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11569096 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with conditions related to abnormal threat processing or stress responses, where future therapies might aim to modulate specific brain pathways.
✕Less likely to help
There may be no direct benefit to patients from this basic, early-stage research.
What this research studies
This project will use brain slices to study how brevican glycosylation affects the activity of fast-spiking neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area, which helps relay threat information. The researchers will apply precise cellular techniques and patch-clamp recordings to measure neuron excitability under different glycosylation states. By manipulating brevican in controlled experiments, they aim to uncover mechanisms that modulate downstream brain circuits involved in behavior and emotion. The work could reveal molecular targets that influence how the brain processes threat-related signals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform future approaches to managing fear- and stress-related brain functions by targeting specific brain cell interactions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows brevican and perineuronal nets influence neuron excitability in other brain regions, supporting the potential relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Mississippi
University, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Laing, Brenton — University of Mississippi
- Study coordinator: Laing, Brenton
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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.