How sex affects immune cells' role in adolescent brain wiring
Official title: Sex differences in microglia-neuron-circuit interactions in adolescence
Funded at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res · NIH-11251278 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how male and female adolescent brain immune cells called microglia help shape prefrontal brain connections, with implications for teens at risk for psychiatric conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orangeburg, United States) |
| Project start | December 20, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $412,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH128176-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251278 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents or young adults (roughly ages 12–25) with early psychiatric symptoms or a family history of disorders like schizophrenia would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People whose conditions are unrelated to adolescent brain development or non-psychiatric medical problems are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project uses advanced imaging and targeted stimulation in awake mice to watch microglia and neurons in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence. Scientists will use 3-D two-photon microscopy to image fine microglial processes and single-neuron optogenetics to activate cells while observing how nearby microglia move and interact. They will compare males and females across the adolescent period to find sex differences in how microglia influence circuit synchrony and synaptic connections. The goal is to link these cellular interactions to vulnerabilities for psychiatric disorders that often start in the teen years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal sex-specific mechanisms behind adolescent-onset psychiatric disorders and suggest new targets for prevention or treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown microglia can shape synapses and that sex differences exist, but combining live 3-D imaging and optogenetics in adolescent prefrontal circuits is a newer, more detailed approach.
Where this research is happening
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Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
Orangeburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hamm, Jordan P — Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
- Study coordinator: Hamm, Jordan P
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.