Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai a Project Grant of $667,738 effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2031, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). This research grant supports a five-year investigation into the role of dentate spikes in cognition and epilepsy, specifically examining how neural synchronization mechanisms contribute to memory impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The research employs advanced in vivo electrophysiology with silicon probes, optogenetic manipulation, and cognitive behavioral testing in mouse models to characterize the causal role of medial entorhinal cortex layer 2 stellate cells in driving dentate spike events and associated neural synchronization patterns.

The project delivers fundamental neuroscience research findings addressing a significant gap in understanding the neural circuit mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in epilepsy, with potential implications for developing therapeutic interventions for TLE-related memory impairment. Through two coordinated research aims, the grant supports the generation of novel electrophysiological data, optogenetic circuit mapping results, and mechanistic insights into how altered neural synchronization contributes to cognitive deficits in epilepsy models. The research outputs are expected to advance NINDS's mission to reduce the burden of neurological disease by elucidating fundamental principles of brain circuit function and dysfunction relevant to both basic neuroscience and clinical epilepsy management.