How sleep helps the brain remove damaged connections after nerve injury
Investigating the role of sleep in synaptic reorganization after neural injury
This research looks at how sleep helps the brain clear away damaged nerve connections after injury, which could matter to adults recovering from brain or nerve trauma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229589 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use fruit flies to mimic nerve injury and watch how sleep changes afterward and how damaged synapses are removed. They measure sleep times, look at nerve cells and supporting glial cells, and track molecular signals that drive synapse clearance. The team also tests what happens when injured animals are kept awake to see if that blocks cleanup. Results aim to reveal when and how sleep supports recovery at the cellular level.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have experienced recent nerve or brain injury and are interested in how sleep might affect their recovery are most relevant to this line of research.
Not a fit: People without nerve or brain injury, children, or those seeking an immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to sleep-based strategies or targets to help people recover better after brain or nerve injuries.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies link sleep to synaptic remodeling, but applying fruit-fly injury models to study sleep-driven synapse clearance is a newer and more specialized approach.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Donlea, Jeffrey Michael — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Donlea, Jeffrey Michael
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.