# The Impact of Increasing Neurogenesis on Cognitive Deficits Related to Aging

> **NIH NIH K01** · NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC · 2021 · $130,946

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 My career goal is to lead a research group investigating the synaptic and circuit
mechanisms underlying cognitive decline during normal aging and in aging-related disorders
like dementia and Alzheimer's disease. For this K01, I will specifically address the role of
hippocampal neurogenesis—or lack thereof—in aging-related decline in behavioral pattern
separation. Deficits in behavioral pattern separation manifest as a tendency to lump similar
experience together and confuse memories, both core symptoms of aging-related cognitive
decline and dementia. I will employ a vertical approach determine the impact of increasing
neurogenesis on behavioral pattern separation and underlying hippocampal mechanisms using
behavioral, targeted genetics, electrophysiological, and in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging
techniques. These studies represent a number of firsts in the aging neuroscience field: 1) the
first to test the controversial hypothesis that neurogenesis accounts for aging-related cognitive
decline; 2) the first to test the therapeutic potential of targeting neurogenesis to ameliorate
cognitive deficits during aging; 3) the first to investigate the impact of neurogenesis on
hippocampal information processing during aging; and 4) the first to use in vivo 2-photon
imaging to assess neuronal population coding during behavior in aged mice. These studies
represent a significant career change and research redirection for me. This K01 award will thus
afford me the protected time and mentorship to acquire the technical and conceptual skills to
successfully achieve my career goals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10144343
- **Project number:** 5K01AG054765-05
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Victor Luna
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $130,946
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-04-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10144343

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10144343, The Impact of Increasing Neurogenesis on Cognitive Deficits Related to Aging (5K01AG054765-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10144343. Licensed CC0.

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