Overcoming glutamate-driven brain damage during metabolic stress
Official title: Overcoming glutamate excitotoxicity to metabolic stress
Funded at Wake Forest University · NIH-11505830 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Wake Forest University is studying how the brain can avoid damaging glutamate surges during metabolic stress, with potential relevance to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $533,623 |
| NIH project number | 1R15NS149157-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11505830 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias could benefit from future therapies stemming from this research.
✕Less likely to help
If the mechanisms identified do not translate to humans, immediate patient benefit may be limited.
What this research studies
This project looks at how neurons can stay alive when energy is low and glutamate levels rise in the brain. By comparing a unique avian system that naturally avoids this toxic cascade, the team aims to uncover mechanisms that protect glutamate transport and boost inhibitory signaling. The study will use techniques like patch-clamp recordings, behavioral tests, and high-resolution imaging to test whether maintaining glutamate transport and enhancing GABAergic signaling can prevent neuron death during energetic stress. Training opportunities will be integrated into the research plan to teach researchers hands-on experimental methods. The goal is to translate these insights into new strategies for protecting brain cells in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new approaches to reduce brain cell loss from metabolic stress and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in other systems suggests that modulating glutamate transport and GABA signaling can influence neuronal survival under stress, but applying this to human disease is still exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Do Amaral Silva, Lara — Wake Forest University
- Study coordinator: Do Amaral Silva, Lara
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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.