How certain inhibitory brain cells help form new location memories in healthy people and in Alzheimer's
Hippocampal interneurons in novel memory formation in health and Alzheimer's disease
This work looks at whether a type of inhibitory brain cell called parvalbumin interneurons helps form precise spatial memories in healthy brains and in Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11297634 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use lab models of Alzheimer’s disease to record the electrical activity of many inhibitory and excitatory hippocampal neurons at once while subjects learn new locations. They will use cell-type specific, time-precise tools to stimulate and quiet parvalbumin (PV) interneurons to see how those manipulations change memory formation. The goal is to map how PV interneuron activity helps create precise spatial maps and how Alzheimer's pathology, like elevated amyloid beta, disrupts that process. Findings will guide whether targeting inhibitory circuits could help restore memory function in Alzheimer's.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not appear to enroll patients directly, but people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or early spatial memory impairments would be the kind of patients who might benefit from later clinical trials based on these findings.
Not a fit: Patients with very advanced Alzheimer's or memory loss from non-Alzheimer causes are less likely to see direct benefit from this preclinical work in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to restore inhibitory cell function and improve memory in people with Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies link inhibitory interneuron deficits to memory problems, but precise, cell-type specific manipulation of PV interneurons in Alzheimer's models is a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Singer, Annabelle Catherine — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Singer, Annabelle Catherine
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.