In Vivo and Ex Vivo Dissection of Midbrain Neuron Activity During Exercise

2023
Rebekah C. Evans, Ph.D., Georgetown University

2023 Seed Grant
Rebekah C. Evans, Ph.D.
Georgetown University

Dementia Society of America Seed Grant

Exercise is important for the health of the body and the mind. Exercise promotes learning and reduces symptoms of brain-related diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is not known how exercise changes the brain to enhance function. Previous studies have found changes in the brain after weeks of exercise, but currently we don’t understand how those changes take place during exercise. Dr. Evan’s lab are using cutting-edge neuroscience tools in mice to examine the brain cells that are active during exercise and compare them to the brain cells that are not active during exercise. This is an important first step in understanding how exercise protects the brain in disease conditions and maximizes its function in healthy conditions.

Back to Grants

Other Grants

Brain Research Foundation
José Manuel Baizabal Carballo, Ph.D., Indiana University Bloomington
Heterochromatin Mechanisms of Cortical Expansion
Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, are frequently associated with mutations in genes that encode chromatin-modifying enzymes. A subset of these mutations is thought to disrupt compacted chromatin (heterochromatin),…
Brain Research Foundation
Jessica L. Bolton, Ph.D., Georgia State University
Chemogenetic Tools in Microglia as a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Brain Disorders
All humans are born with a unique combination of genes, which contribute greatly to who we are. However, early-life experiences such as trauma or hardship, particularly during the first few…
Brain Research Foundation
Junyue Cao, Ph.D., The Rockefeller University
Elucidate the Molecular and Cellular Targets of Caloric Restriction in Rejuvenating Aged Mammalian Brain
As we age, the brain’s ability to function declines, increasing the risk of cognitive impairments and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Our research investigates how caloric restriction (CR), a…
Brain Research Foundation
Vasileios Christopoulos, Ph.D., University of Southern California
Understanding the Mechanisms of Micturition in the Brain and Spinal Cord
This research aims to better understand how the brain and spinal cord work together to control urination, a process known as micturition. In healthy individuals, this process is carefully coordinated…