Award
NIH Reporter #5R37NS019895-43
Analysis of the Neural Control of Behavior
Recipient
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX
Award Amount
$662,466.00
Ceiling
$662,466.00
Awarded
April 09, 2026
Identifier
5R37NS019895-43
This award funds research to analyze signaling pathways involved in long-term memory formation, aiming to optimize training protocols for better memory retention.
Description
The project focuses on understanding biochemical cascades involved in long-term memory formation. It involves analysis of kinase and transcription factor dynamics post-training. The goal is to optimize training protocols for enhanced memory retention. The proposal will investigate the dynamics of signaling cascades critical for the efficacy of training protocols that lead to induction of long-term memory (LTM), using long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) at sensorimotor synapses as a model system. It will analyze the dynamics of key protein kinases such as PKA, ERK, RSK, and p38 MAPK; and key transcription factors such as CREB1, CREB2, C/EBP, and MeCP2 for periods up to 48 hours after different training protocols. It will assess the necessity of these signaling molecules for the induction, consolidation, and maintenance of LTF, aiming to predict improved training protocols.