Investigating the role of a specific brain area in epilepsy
Official title: The Role of Hippocampal area CA2 in Epilepsy
Funded at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res · NIH-11093517 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a part of the brain called CA2 to see how it affects epilepsy, especially in people whose seizures don't respond to medication, and it hopes to find new ways to help those patients feel better.
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 | June 1, 2018 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $578,735 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS106983-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11093517 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with epilepsy that does not respond to standard medications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with well-controlled epilepsy or those who do not have drug-resistant forms of the condition may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how the hippocampal area CA2 contributes to epilepsy, particularly in cases where seizures are resistant to treatment. Using rodent models, the study examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in seizure activity and explores potential new therapeutic approaches. The researchers aim to determine how changes in the CA2 area affect seizure frequency and severity, which could lead to improved treatments for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment options for patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of other hippocampal areas in epilepsy, but the specific focus on CA2 is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
Orangeburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scharfman, Helen E — Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
- Study coordinator: Scharfman, Helen E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
A study tests a brain-quieting system that uses light to precisely time certain brain cells in epilepsy-prone mice to see if this can lessen seizures and improve memory.
-
Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
-
Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
-
New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
-
Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
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.