Understanding memory changes with aging in mouse brains and how they relate to Alzheimer’s risk
Official title: From functional to dysfunctional neural network dynamics underpinning memory storage and retrieval across young adult and aged mice
Funded at George Mason University · NIH-11537702 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers plan to build a detailed computer model of memory-related brain circuits in aging mice to understand why memory declines with age and how this relates to Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | George Mason University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fairfax, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $759,292 |
| NIH project number | 4R33AG087912-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537702 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with memory concerns related to aging or Alzheimer’s risk who participate as researchers for future translational steps or related human studies (note: this grant studies mice; direct patient participation would come from future human trials).
✕Less likely to help
This grant itself does not enroll patients; findings will inform future human studies and potential interventions.
What this research studies
This project studies how cholinergic signals change as mice age and how those changes affect brain network activity in the hippocampus, especially in the CA3 region linked to memory. Scientists will collect neural recordings from freely behaving mice during memory tasks and pair them with measurements of acetylcholine dynamics. They will then create a biologically realistic, full-scale spiking neural network model of CA3 to simulate encoding and retrieval of information. The work combines live experiments with advanced computer modeling to link aging, network dynamics, and memory decline. The insights could illuminate mechanisms behind age-related cognitive changes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify how aging alters memory networks and point to targets for interventions to preserve memory in aging and early Alzheimer’s.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier studies have shown that aging affects hippocampal network dynamics and cholinergic signaling, with computational models providing insights into memory encoding and retrieval.
Where this research is happening
-
George Mason University
Fairfax, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dannenberg, Holger — George Mason University
- Study coordinator: Dannenberg, Holger
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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.