How children's brains build memory networks
Development of Memory Networks in Children
This work explores how brain areas coordinate to help children, teens, and young adults remember things, using special brain recordings done during epilepsy care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Dallas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richardson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164676 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If a child or young adult is having electrodes placed for treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, doctors will record brain activity while they do memory tasks to see how remembering works. The team will use intracranial EEG recordings to capture both where and when brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe are active during memory retrieval. By comparing patterns across ages from early childhood through young adulthood, researchers aim to map how memory retrieval matures. The approach builds on prior pediatric intracranial work and focuses on the timing and content of memory signals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children, adolescents, and young adults who are undergoing intracranial EEG monitoring as part of clinical care for drug-resistant epilepsy and can complete simple memory tasks.
Not a fit: People who are healthy or not receiving implanted electrodes for clinical care are unlikely to be eligible or receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could improve understanding of how memory develops in children and guide future therapies for memory problems in epilepsy and other brain disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work, including the investigators' earlier pediatric intracranial EEG studies, has successfully mapped memory formation, but applying these methods to memory retrieval across development is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Richardson, United States
- University of Texas Dallas — Richardson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ofen, Noa — University of Texas Dallas
- Study coordinator: Ofen, Noa
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.