Matthew Schneider, Brigham Young University
Physiology and Developmental Biology
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, affects millions of people per year. Research has shown that Alzheimer’s affects the hippocampus brain region, which is involved in learning and memory. Understanding learning and memory functions is imperative to comprehending both healthy brain functions and Alzheimer’s disease. Many researchers seek to understand both the causes and treatments of the disease, but tangible information remains elusive. Studies thus far have shown that to encode memories, the brain must change neural synapses to either strengthen or weaken those pathways, a process known as synaptic plasticity. Using electrophysiology techniques on mouse hippocampal slices, this project will provide further insight on memory formation and regulation by imitating synaptic plasticity mechanisms. I will look at a specific cellular pathway involving the protein receptor GPR55, which has recently been shown to induce synaptic plasticity. By understanding how the GPR55 pathway functions, this research will contribute to the understanding and treatments of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.