# Study ApoE4's Effects on Hippocampal Network Activity in Alzheimer's Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES · 2021 · $711,495

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The complexity and multifactorial nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses unique challenges for mechanistic
studies and developing therapies. Efforts to target AD-related pathways have shown promise in animal studies,
only to fail during human trials. Thus, there remains a pressing need to identify novel mechanisms and
therapeutic targets for treating or preventing AD.
 One of the earliest sites of AD pathology is the hippocampus, a brain structure critical for the learning and
memory processes that falter early in AD. Decades of research have yielded insight into the genetics and
cellular pathologies of the disease, but it is unclear how these pathologies disrupt hippocampal memory
processes. The main genetic risk factor for AD is apolipoprotein (apo) E4, which lowers the age of onset of AD
in a gene dose–dependent manner. In most clinical studies, apoE4 carriers account for 60–75% of all AD
cases, highlighting the importance of apoE4 in AD pathogenesis. Although many hypotheses have been
proposed, the cellular and network mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological actions of apoE4 are still
unclear.
 This proposal builds on novel findings from our recent studies of mouse models. First, expression of apoE4
in knock-in (KI) mice causes age-dependent impairment of GABAergic interneurons in the hilus of the
hippocampus, which correlates with the severity of learning and memory deficits. Second, deleting the apoE4
gene specifically in GABAergic interneurons prevents hilar interneuron loss and learning and memory deficits
in LoxP-floxed apoE4-KI (apoE4-fKI) mice. Third, in vivo local field potential (LFP) recordings throughout the
hippocampal circuit shows that compared to aged apoE3-KI mice, aged apoE4-KI mice have fewer sharp wave
ripple (SWR) events—hippocampal network events critical for memory replay and consolidation—and have
significantly reduced slow gamma activity during SWRs, which coordinates SWRs. Fourth, elimination of
apoE4 in GABAergic interneurons rescues SWR-associated slow gamma activity but not SWR abundance in
apoE4-fKI mice, suggesting that the disruption of interneuron-enabled slow gamma activity during SWRs is a
critical mechanism of apoE4-mediated learning and memory impairments. This proposal aims (1) to determine
the relative contribution of inhibitory interneuron subtypes to apoE4 disruption of hippocampal network activity
underlying memory replay and (2) to determine whether apoE4 disruption of hippocampal network activity
underlying memory replay depends on Aβ, tau, or both. The outcomes of the proposed studies will shed light
on the pathogenesis of late-onset AD and could provide new targets for developing drugs treating or
preventing AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10152483
- **Project number:** 5R01AG055682-05
- **Recipient organization:** J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES
- **Principal Investigator:** YADONG HUANG
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $711,495
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10152483

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10152483, Study ApoE4's Effects on Hippocampal Network Activity in Alzheimer's Disease (5R01AG055682-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10152483. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*