Septohippocampal network problems linking Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Septhohippocamal connectome dysfunction in Down syndrome associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11456928 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers compare mouse models and human brain cells to understand why people with Down syndrome often develop Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $805,422 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG077103-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11456928 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Down syndrome (and families who can arrange skin-cell donation) or people with Alzheimer's disease who can donate tissue or cells would be most relevant to contribute samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without Down syndrome or Alzheimer's are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
You would hear that scientists are looking at the specific brain circuits that support memory and attention to learn why these circuits fail in Down syndrome as Alzheimer changes appear. They study a well-known trisomic mouse model (Ts65Dn) to map circuit and cellular problems in the septohippocampal and basocortical networks. The team also grows human neurons from donated skin cells and checks results against donated postmortem human brain tissue. Together these approaches focus on calcium signaling and mitochondrial function as likely causes of network breakdown.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific cell processes to target for therapies that slow or prevent Alzheimer's symptoms in people with Down syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Related mouse-model and human cell studies have revealed Alzheimer-linked changes before, but turning those findings into effective treatments for Down syndrome has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ginsberg, Stephen D — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Ginsberg, Stephen D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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DS-ARC: Smartphone-based cognitive check for people with Down syndrome at risk for Alzheimer’s
A smartphone-based cognitive test is being developed and tested for people with Down syndrome who may develop Alzheimer’s disease, to track changes quietly in daily life.
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Remote monitoring of Alzheimer’s changes in adults with Down syndrome
A study tests remote (at-home) ways to track Alzheimer’s-related thinking changes in adults with Down syndrome.
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How sleep and body temperature affect Alzheimer's risk in adults with Down syndrome
Researchers will follow adults with Down syndrome over several years to learn whether sleep problems and lower body temperature are linked to earlier Alzheimer's changes.
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DS-ARC: A smartphone-based cognitive test for Down syndrome–associated Alzheimer’s disease
A smartphone-based cognitive test will be developed and tested to help detect early signs of dementia in adults with Down syndrome.
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DS-ARC: A smartphone-based cognitive test for Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer's disease
A new smartphone app will measure day-to-day thinking changes in adults with Down syndrome who may develop Alzheimer’s disease, helping catch early signs in a convenient, real-world way.
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DS-ARC: A Remote Digital Cognitive Test for Down Syndrome-Related Alzheimer’s Disease
A smartphone-based cognitive test is being developed to help people with Down syndrome who are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease understand and track early brain changes.
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.