Sleep-based brain wiring of fear memory in the amygdala
Official title: Sleep-dependent mechanisms of fear memory in the amygdala
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11456018 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in people or animals will look at how sleep helps the amygdala store fear memories by using advanced brain imaging and genetic tools to understand memory changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $815,679 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MH142809-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11456018 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with fear- or anxiety-related conditions or healthy volunteers who participate in sleep and memory studies and consent to brain imaging and genetic analyses.
✕Less likely to help
People not participating in sleep or memory studies or those with conditions that preclude imaging or invasive techniques may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine how sleep influences fear memory in the basolateral amygdala using in vivo calcium imaging, electrophysiology, single-cell sequencing, DNA methylation editing, and closed-loop optogenetics. The team aims to map cellular and epigenetic changes that occur during sleep as fear memories are consolidated, focusing on the contextual fear conditioning paradigm. The project connects sleep biology with memory mechanisms in a key brain region, with potential implications for understanding anxiety and trauma-related memories. This is a translational line of inquiry that could inform future therapies targeting memory consolidation processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could illuminate how sleep supports fear memory formation, potentially guiding new approaches to treat fear-related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests sleep stages influence memory consolidation, and similar approaches have advanced understanding in animal models.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peng, Yueqing — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Peng, Yueqing
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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.