# Decoding Hippocampal-Parietal contributions to spatial navigation in a mouse modeling Tau and AB aggregation features of Alzheimer's Disease

> **NIH NIH F31** · FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $38,559

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is devastating for both individuals and society. Because pathology and
neural damage occur so early relative to detectable symptoms, it is important to study early
disease progression, with a focus on detection and treatment. One of the earliest symptoms to
appear in this disease is impairments in spatial navigation, which could be the result of
impairments in navigational computations, memory encoding or retrieval, or some combination of
navigational and memory impairments. Both cortex and hippocampus are important for memory
encoding and navigational computations, with interactions between these two regions supporting
these processes. In navigation, hippocampus is involved in creating a cognitive representation of
the environment. Parietal cortex is involved in the translation of this cognitive representation
based on body-centered location into the appropriate navigation decision. Furthermore,
interactions between these regions have been shown to be impaired during sleep in rodents
modeling Tau and amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation aspects of AD. Thus, we will test the hypothesis
that impaired hippocampal-cortical interactions during navigation underlie deficits in spatial
navigation in a mouse modeling Tau and Aβ aggregation (TAβA; AIM 1). Additionally, we will test
the hypothesis that these interactions can be rescued via 40Hz stimulation of either parietal cortex
or hippocampus (AIM 2). This project will expand our knowledge of systems level dysfunction as
a consequence of TAβA, and how this impacts cognitive symptoms. Furthermore, this project will
provide insight into how new, preliminary treatments for AD designed to ameliorate TAβA effects
systems, spatial navigation, and neural function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10537553
- **Project number:** 1F31AG079619-01
- **Recipient organization:** FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah Danielle Cushing
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $38,559
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-19 → 2025-08-18

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10537553

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10537553, Decoding Hippocampal-Parietal contributions to spatial navigation in a mouse modeling Tau and AB aggregation features of Alzheimer's Disease (1F31AG079619-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10537553. Licensed CC0.

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