Using deep brain stimulation to study how the parietal cortex supports memory in people
Official title: Using deep brain stimulation of the parietal cortex to investigate the electrophysiology of human episodic memory
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11362439 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team is exploring how deep brain stimulation in the parietal cortex affects the brain signals involved in forming and recalling memories in people with memory-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2018 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $408,208 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS107357-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362439 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with conditions affecting memory who are undergoing intracranial EEG monitoring or are candidates for related memory research could participate.
✕Less likely to help
People without access to intracranial monitoring or those not meeting study criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will record brain activity from the posterior cingulate cortex during memory tasks and look for neurons that encode the timing of events and the structure of memories. Researchers will examine how parietal and hippocampal networks work together and how ripple activity relates to memory processing. They will also test how an anticholinergic drug affects these brain signals during memory tasks in people with intracranial EEG. The work aims to reveal the neurophysiological mechanisms behind episodic memory and how memory networks are organized in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: findings could deepen understanding of memory networks and inform future approaches to treating memory disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous human memory studies with direct brain recordings have provided valuable insights, and this project builds on that by targeting specific memory-related cells and circuits.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lega, Bradley C — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Lega, Bradley C
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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.