Understanding brain rhythms in aging and Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Elucidating circuit mechanisms of brain rhythms in the aging brain
Funded at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res · NIH-11163481 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores how brain rhythms, which are important for memory, change with age and Alzheimer's disease, and looks for ways to improve them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orangeburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 8, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $244,020 |
| NIH project number | 5R00AG073507-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163481 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational work is for individuals interested in the underlying brain mechanisms of memory and how they are affected by aging and Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options or direct clinical trial participation would not directly benefit from this early-stage basic science research.
What this research studies
Our brains use special rhythms to help us think and remember, but these rhythms can become disrupted in aging and conditions like Alzheimer's disease. This project focuses on a specific brain area, the supramammillary nucleus (SuM), which appears to control these important memory rhythms. We are working to understand how the SuM and its connections contribute to memory problems and how we might use gentle stimulation to improve brain rhythms and memory function. The goal is to find new ways to help people maintain their cognitive abilities as they age and in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, non-invasive treatments that help prevent or reverse memory decline in people with aging-related memory issues or Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific role of the supramammillary nucleus as a theta modulator is a novel focus, other research has shown success in using brain stimulation to influence brain rhythms and improve cognitive function.
Where this research is happening
-
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
Orangeburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Shuo — Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psych Res
- Study coordinator: Chen, Shuo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.