Federal Grant Award Summary

Emory University received a $234,750 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853), effective May 11, 2026, with a completion date of April 30, 2028. The research project investigates NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor regulation of rapid synaptic scaling and spinal excitability in Fragile X Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research aims to identify fundamental mechanisms controlling network excitability maturation during neonatal development, examining how blockade of NMDA receptors triggers compensatory changes in glutamatergic and GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid) synapses.

The deliverables include comprehensive characterization of rapid synaptic scaling in neonatal mouse spinal neurons, identification of which neuron classes express excitatory and inhibitory rapid scaling responses, and assessment of the uniformity of scaling effects across different neuronal inputs. By correlating homeostatic scaling capacity with NMDAR (NMDA receptor) content, the research will elucidate impacts on excitatory-to-inhibitory (E/I) balance within neural networks and contribute to understanding how dysregulated NMDA-dependent mechanisms may underlie neurodevelopmental disorders such as Fragile X Syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. The research is being conducted at Emory University's facility in Atlanta, Georgia.