Investigating how brain activity affects memory for visual objects
Official title: The Role of Persistent Activity in Visual Working Memory
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-10930012 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a specific part of the brain helps with remembering what we see, using trained monkeys to see how their brain activity relates to their memory performance, which could help us understand memory problems in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $48,974 |
| NIH project number | 5F31EY035546-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10930012 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research would be individuals experiencing memory impairments, particularly those with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with memory issues unrelated to the mechanisms being studied, such as those with traumatic brain injuries or other non-degenerative conditions, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the role of persistent activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex and its impact on visual working memory using a model of non-human primates. The study involves training rhesus macaques to remember and judge visual stimuli while recording their brain activity with microelectrodes. By analyzing how this neural activity correlates with memory performance, the researchers aim to understand the mechanisms behind memory recall and errors. The findings could provide insights into the underlying processes of memory, which may have implications for understanding memory disorders in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a better understanding of memory processes, potentially informing treatments for memory-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding memory mechanisms through similar approaches, although this specific investigation into persistent activity in the prefrontal cortex is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jaffe, Rye — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Jaffe, Rye
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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.