Molecules in the brain that help short-term (working) memory
Official title: Chronic and acute molecular programs enabling working memory
Funded at Rockefeller University · NIH-11353911 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how a brain molecule called GPR12 helps short-term (working) memory, aiming to help people with ADHD and related memory problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rockefeller University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,271,250 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1MH133201-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11353911 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although this is preclinical work that does not enroll people now, the findings would most directly apply to people with ADHD, schizophrenia, or other disorders causing working-memory problems and could make them candidates for future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People whose memory problems are due to non-neurological causes (such as medication side effects or sleep loss) or advanced neurodegenerative disease may be less likely to benefit from this molecular approach.
What this research studies
They will use animal models and advanced brain imaging to see how GPR12 affects communication between the thalamus and prefrontal cortex during working-memory tasks. The team will map steady-state gene activity and rapid, activity-dependent signaling tied to seconds-long memory processes using two-photon imaging, genetics, and molecular profiling. By linking molecular programs to specific patterns of neural activity during behavior, they hope to reveal mechanisms that keep short-term memory online. Results are intended to point to molecular targets that could be tested for therapies to improve working memory.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify new molecular targets for drugs or other therapies to improve working memory in ADHD, schizophrenia, and related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior human and animal studies support roles for the prefrontal cortex and thalamus in working memory, but targeting the GPR12 molecular pathway is a novel and largely untested strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Rockefeller University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rajasethupathy, Priya — Rockefeller University
- Study coordinator: Rajasethupathy, Priya
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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.