2025 Seed Grant
Gabrielle Pouchelon, Ph.D.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition in children, characterized by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and often sleep disturbances. ADHD frequently occurs alongside other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders, and its rising prevalence has made its growing public health concern.
This project focuses on a region of the brain, the basal forebrain, that comprises cholinergic neurons, which help regulate brain states like attention and sleep by releasing the neuromodulator acetylcholine. These neurons send signals to the cortex, the region of the brain involved in thinking, decision-making, and sensory processing. Although the cholinergic system is known to influence attention, how it develops early in life, especially during critical! periods shaped by sleep, remains largely unexplored.
Using advanced imaging and molecular tools, we aim to uncover how cholinergic inputs guide the development of attention-related brain circuits. Our findings will lay the foundation for future investigations on the development of age-targeted therapies that support attention and sleep regulation in children.
