Master
Content
Identifying new cognitive enhancers - Neuropeptide regulators of memory
As we age, our ability to form new memories decreases dramatically. We recently found that increasing neuropeptide secretion in a specific neuron in C. elegans improves the ability to form long-term memories. Based on finding we hope to answer the following questions
- Which neuropeptides promote memory?
- Where and how do they act?
- Can we target similar pathways to slow memory loss in mammals?
Keeping strong connections - New synaptic regulators of learning and memory
In the nervous system, synaptic function appears to be particularly susceptible to defects with age, and is linked to age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We have recently identified many new transcripts that are localized to presynaptic regions. Our goal is to determine which presynaptic transcripts regulate learning and memory, understand how they regulate synaptic function, and determine if they are perturbed in aging neurons.
