How different brain areas replay experiences to form reward memories
Role of multi-regional neuronal reactivations in reward-based memories
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · NIH-11457242
This work looks at how the brain replays events during wake and sleep to help form memories tied to rewards, which could be relevant for people with memory problems like Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11457242 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
The team will study how groups of neurons across multiple brain regions reactivate or 'replay' experiences during both waking pauses and sleep. They will record neuronal activity from several brain areas at once during cue-driven, goal-directed tasks and during rest, largely using laboratory models but with connections to human memory. By comparing patterns of reactivation across regions and states, they aim to understand how sensory and reward information is bound into lasting memories. The results are intended to improve understanding of memory loss in conditions such as Alzheimer's and to inform future clinical research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory impairment, or those willing to donate data or samples for memory research, would be most relevant to this line of work.
Not a fit: Individuals seeking an immediate new treatment or direct clinical benefit should not expect one, because this is early-stage basic neuroscience research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how distributed brain replays form reward-linked memories and help guide new approaches for diagnosing or treating memory disorders like Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown replays support hippocampal episodic memory, but evidence for coordinated, multi-region reactivation in cue-driven sensorimotor tasks is limited and relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DRIEU, CELINE — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: DRIEU, CELINE
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease