Award
National Institute on Aging 5F31AG087649-02
How does the brain accumulate cognitive maps?
Recipient
ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI, NY
Award Amount
$47,938.00
Ceiling
$47,938.00
Awarded
July 31, 2025
Identifier
5F31AG087649-02
Research project funded by the National Institute on Aging to study changes in cognitive maps in the hippocampus of mice across age groups, aiming to understand neural mechanisms of cognitive decline and behavioral flexibility.
Description
This project investigates whether the similarity between cognitive maps in the dorsal CA1 region of the hippocampus changes as mice accumulate multiple cognitive maps across different age groups. It aims to understand how similarity between cognitive maps aids in behavioral flexibility and neural signaling alterations underlying cognitive decline, potentially leading to therapeutic interventions for aging populations. The study uses in vivo calcium imaging with miniature microscopes as young adult and middle-aged mice navigate four distinct circular tracks for water rewards to determine changes in neural representations and learning rates in novel environments during aging.