# Anterior Cingulate Cortex preferentially drives dorsal CA1 deep neuronal activity during sharp-wave ripples for memory consolidation

> **NIH NIH F31** · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $48,974

## Abstract

Project Summary:
Memory consolidation is an indispensable function for everyday experiences that becomes compromised in
many prevalent memory disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and dementia. Understanding the
underlying process of memory consolidation is essential for the development of therapeutics and treatment
interventions for pervasive memory disorders. Systems consolidation, memory consolidation across neural
networks, involves the transformation of impermanent, hippocampus-dependent memories, into permanent
long-term memories stored throughout cortical regions. During this consolidation process, sharp-wave ripples
(SPWs), neural oscillations originating from the dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus during slow wave sleep
(SWS), have emerged as a key mediator. These oscillations facilitate systems consolidation through the
reactivation of hippocampal and cortical neurons previously active during wakefulness. Recently, researcher
have identified two anatomically distinct CA1 pyramidal sublayers that differ in function during SPWs:
superficial and deep. Superficial neurons (CA1sup) display more stable firings rates exhibiting little change in
response to learning, whereas deep neurons (CA1deep) are less stable exhibiting dynamic changes to
learning. While these differences have been uncovered, much remains unknown on how sublayers are
selectively recruited during SPWs. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a cortical region involved long-term
memory, emerges as a possible candidate in driving CA1 activity. The ACC exhibits increased activity
immediately preceding SPWs and dCA1 neuronal firings, suggesting a potential ACC → dCA1 influence. Our
results revealed that ACC neural activity immediately preceding SPWs (~200ms prior) preferentially predicts
CA1deep neuron activity during SPWs. Prediction success increases following learning, suggesting a role of
ACC → CA1deep communication in learning. Additionally, we show that stimulation of ACC excitatory neurons
specifically increases the activity of CA1deep, but not CA1sup, during SWS. Given these findings, I
hypothesize that ACC neurons selectively communicate with CA1deep activity during SPWs post-learning, and
this communication is necessary for consolidation of newly-acquired memories. I will test this hypothesis
through the following two aims. Aim 1 will utilize dual-site extracellular in vivo electrophysiology to determine
how the ACC and dCA1 neurons communicate during SPW events for memory consolidation. Aim 2 will
implement closed-loop optogenetics to investigate the causal role ACC → CA1deep communication during
SPWs in memory consolidation. Findings from this proposal will advance our understanding of systems
consolidation and how the brain stores long-term memories. Results from this study would lay the framework
for the development of future therapeutic interventions targeted towards memory disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10873100
- **Project number:** 5F31MH134582-02
- **Recipient organization:** DREXEL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Arron Franklin Hall
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $48,974
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10873100

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10873100, Anterior Cingulate Cortex preferentially drives dorsal CA1 deep neuronal activity during sharp-wave ripples for memory consolidation (5F31MH134582-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10873100. Licensed CC0.

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