Understanding how memory and seizures interact in temporal lobe epilepsy
Official title: Determining the shared neuronal network mechanisms of focal epileptic discharges and impaired memory processing in temporal lobe epilepsy
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11550001 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying people with temporal lobe epilepsy to learn why memory problems happen and how seizure-related brain activity disrupts memory.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $347,519 |
| NIH project number | 7R01NS128222-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11550001 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with temporal lobe epilepsy who have memory challenges and are undergoing invasive brain recordings or can be studied in corresponding mouse models.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without temporal lobe epilepsy or memory impairment may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project uses invasive brain recordings in people with temporal lobe epilepsy and advanced mouse models to map where memory-related brain activity and seizure discharges overlap. The team will record neuronal signals during memory tasks and seizures to see if cells involved in normal memory processing are hijacked by epileptic activity. They will test where in the hippocampus seizures originate and how this affects memory networks using chemogenetic tools and long-term brain recordings. Conducting these studies in animals and patients aims to uncover targets that could protect memory in people living with epilepsy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to strategies that preserve memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that seizures can disrupt memory networks, and this project builds on that with deeper, multi-omic and imaging-style recordings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ewell, Laura — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Ewell, Laura
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
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-
Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
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Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
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New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
-
Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
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.