This Project Grant awarded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), supports research by New York University (NYU) School of Medicine to investigate the cellular and circuit mechanisms by which acetylcholine (ACh) promotes associative learning in the primary somatosensory cortex of the brain.
The $460,855 award, with a period of performance from September 6, 2024 to August 31, 2026, will fund experiments to: 1) use 2-photon microscopy to measure the magnitude and time course of ACh release in the somatosensory cortex during associative learning and task performance; and 2) develop a chemogenetic strategy to transiently suppress cholinergic activity in the somatosensory cortex during specific phases of associative learning. The research aims to better understand how dysfunction in ACh signaling could contribute to neurocognitive disorders, and provide insights into potential cell-type specific interventions.
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