How sleep and sensory signals shape brain connections
The Effects of Stimulation and Sleep on Neural Circuit Connections
This research tests whether sleep and sensory activity help shape brain connections that affect memory and conditions like dementia and schizophrenia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11235903 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using tiny transparent worms to watch how neurons form and change after sensory stimulation and sleep. They combine live imaging with genetic modification and optogenetic (light-controlled) tools to turn specific neurons on or off in developing and adult animals. The team measures how those changes affect behavior and long‑term memory-like processes in the worms. Results are intended to reveal molecular pathways that could guide future studies in humans or human cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with memory concerns, early-stage dementia, or schizophrenia who want to follow translational research or take part in future human studies.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment or clinical care change are unlikely to benefit directly, since this is laboratory research in animal models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological targets to protect or restore memory in disorders such as dementia or schizophrenia.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies show sleep supports memory and that disrupting sleep impairs plasticity, but applying these specific molecular mechanisms to human disease is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: L 'Etoile, Noelle D — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: L 'Etoile, Noelle D
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.