How inhibitory brain cells control local oxygen supply
Official title: Role of interneurons in brain tissue oxygen regulation
Funded at Endeavor Health Clinical Operations · NIH-11260176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how certain brain cells called inhibitory interneurons change local oxygen levels in the brain, which affects brain health and MRI signals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Endeavor Health Clinical Operations NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Evanston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2018 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $410,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS107383-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11260176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
If human work is included, ideal participants would be adults with conditions that affect brain blood flow (for example stroke or vascular cognitive impairment) or healthy volunteers for imaging comparisons.
✕Less likely to help
People whose conditions are unrelated to brain blood flow or oxygenation (for example isolated peripheral conditions) are less likely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is studying how GABA-producing interneurons help set oxygen levels in nearby brain tissue and shape the MRI BOLD signal. They will measure local tissue oxygen (PO2) and BOLD responses while altering GABA signaling and the interneurons' dual neurotransmitter actions. The researchers will also test what happens to oxygen signals when excitatory pyramidal cell activity is removed. Together the three aims aim to explain how neuron activity and blood flow work together, with implications for brain health and vascular problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve understanding of brain oxygen regulation and help guide better diagnosis or treatments for conditions involving poor brain blood flow.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked interneuron activity to blood flow and BOLD signals, but the detailed mechanisms remain incompletely understood and are the focus of this project.
Where this research is happening
-
Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
Evanston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aksenov, Daniil — Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
- Study coordinator: Aksenov, Daniil
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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.