Using brain growth signals to help memory and thinking
Official title: Trophic Factors in Cognition
Funded at University of South Dakota · NIH-11127435 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing lab-designed versions of the hormone erythropoietin that keep its brain-helping effects but not the blood effects, to help people with memory and attention problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Dakota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Vermillion, United States) |
| Project start | February 11, 2016 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $373,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH106640-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11127435 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cognitive impairment or memory/attention problems related to neuropsychiatric conditions could be the most relevant candidates for related future trials or sample donation.
✕Less likely to help
People without cognitive symptoms, or those who cannot receive experimental biologic treatments or have active clotting disorders, may not benefit from this line of research.
What this research studies
Researchers are testing engineered versions of erythropoietin (EPO) that retain neurotrophic effects without increasing red blood cell production. They focus on the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory, and examine how these compounds change cellular signaling, brain circuits, and behaviors linked to attention and memory. The work uses laboratory experiments and preclinical models and is informed by prior human studies of EPO's cognitive effects. The aim is to identify compounds that improve cognition while avoiding blood-related risks like increased viscosity or clotting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that improve memory and thinking in people with cognitive deficits while reducing the vascular risks tied to regular EPO.
How similar studies have gone: Prior human studies found that native EPO can improve cognition, but the non-erythropoietic EPO-like compounds studied here are newer and have been mostly tested in preclinical work so far.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sathyanesan, Samuel Newton — University of South Dakota
- Study coordinator: Sathyanesan, Samuel Newton
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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.