How the brain uses internal maps to guide movement
Neurobiological Basis of Reference Frame Coordination for Spatial Memory to Action Transformations
This project looks at how brain circuits turn map-like memories into the right movements, which may help people who have trouble finding their way, such as in Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11179431 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are studying the brain systems that store map-like memories and how those maps are turned into body-centered actions like turning or walking toward a goal. The work focuses on connected brain areas (hippocampus, parietal and retrosplenial cortices, and thalamic nuclei) and uses laboratory experiments—often in animals—to record and manipulate neural activity while navigation tasks are performed. By watching how neural signals change when maps are translated into actions, scientists hope to pinpoint where breakdowns occur that lead to getting lost. This is basic science that aims to inform future approaches for diagnosing or treating navigation problems in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for related human work would be people with early Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment who report getting lost or having trouble navigating.
Not a fit: People without navigation or orientation problems, or those with very advanced dementia, are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could reveal brain targets or markers to help diagnose, track, or eventually design treatments for the navigation and orientation problems common in Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and human neuroscience studies have identified parts of these circuits as important for navigation, but translating that knowledge into clinical tools or therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Tallahassee, United States
- Florida State University — Tallahassee, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilber, Aaron a — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Wilber, Aaron a
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.