Award
National Institute of Mental Health 5R01MH139635-02
Endocannabinoid Control of Cholinergic Transmission and the Pursuit of Reward
Recipient
University of Maryland Baltimore
Award Amount
$671,643.00
Ceiling
$671,643.00
Awarded
March 19, 2026
Identifier
5R01MH139635-02
A research project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to study how the endogenous cannabinoid system modulates cholinergic transmission affecting memory and motivation, with the goal of developing targeted therapies for disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Description
This project explores the role of the endogenous cannabinoid system as a modulator of cholinergic tone for conditions involving compromised motivational drive and memory loss, such as Alzheimer's disease and Lewy Body dementia. It aims to understand interactions between acetylcholine and endogenous cannabinoids to enable targeted therapies. The study hypothesizes that deletion of CB1 receptors on cholinergic neurons enhances working memory and motivation by improving neuronal communication. Techniques include optogenetics, fluorescent sensors, and photometric detection to modulate and measure cholinergic activity and neuronal oscillations.