Targeting a thalamic hub to restore memory and sleep brain rhythms
Official title: Nucleus reuniens of the thalamus as a target for driving network-wide memory states
Funded at East Tennessee State University · NIH-11134677 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Trying to restore memory-supporting brain rhythms by stimulating a small thalamic hub that may be disrupted in Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | East Tennessee State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Johnson City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00NS128718-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134677 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment (memory decline) would be the most likely candidates for future human trials informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
People with very advanced Alzheimer's, severe medical issues, or conditions that prevent brain stimulation would be unlikely to benefit from this approach in the near term.
What this research studies
Researchers are using rat experiments to stimulate a small thalamic region called the nucleus reuniens while recording activity from memory brain areas (prefrontal cortex and hippocampus). They use light-based stimulation of specific neuron pathways and a closed-loop system that detects sleep or wake brain states in real time to trigger stimulation. The team tests whether driving particular brain rhythms during wake and REM/NREM sleep can produce patterns linked with better sequence memory. Results in animals could guide future human approaches to improve memory and sleep-related brain coordination in Alzheimer’s.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to restore memory-supporting brain rhythms and inform future treatments for memory problems in Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Related animal studies have shown that stimulating thalamic or hippocampal circuits can change memory-related rhythms, but closed-loop thalamic stimulation for Alzheimer's is largely novel and untested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Viena, Tatiana Danela — East Tennessee State University
- Study coordinator: Viena, Tatiana Danela
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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.