Understanding how brain hyperexcitability and sex differences affect Alzheimer’s disease
Official title: Connecting Neuronal Hyperexcitability and Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) using biophysically-informed in-silico brain simulations and experimental data from mouse models of AD
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11537709 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether brain hyperexcitability linked to a genetic risk (APOE4) and sex differences contribute to memory decline in Alzheimer’s disease, using computer simulations and mouse data to guide potential human treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $745,116 |
| NIH project number | 4R33AG087888-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537709 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, especially women who carry the APOE4 variant, may benefit from future therapies arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Alzheimer’s disease or without APOE4 risk may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will combine biophysically informed computer brain simulations with mouse model experiments to study how excess brain excitation and imbalances in inhibition may drive memory problems in Alzheimer’s disease, especially in women with the APOE4 risk variant. They will use multimodal MRI and functional data to connect what happens in mice with what might occur in humans, aiming to pinpoint targets for therapy. A focus is on how the anti-seizure drug Levetiracetam may work to improve cognition by reducing hyperexcitability, and the team will compare results across species to understand the mechanism. The work is designed to clarify sex-specific factors in AD and to pave the way for more targeted interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to more effective treatments that reduce brain hyperexcitability and slow memory loss in a subset of Alzheimer’s patients, particularly women with APOE4.
How similar studies have gone: Prior early findings suggest levetiracetam may help cognition in hyperexcitable patients, but results are mixed and mechanisms remain under study; this project aims to clarify and extend those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leow, Alex — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Leow, Alex
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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.