Identifying neuropeptide signals that slow cognitive aging
One of the hallmarks of the aging nervous system is a reduced ability to learn and remember, known as cognitive decline. As human life expectancy increases, cognitive decline represents a growing public health burden due to a lack of effective therapies. Dr. Arey proposes to tackle this problem using the short-lived nematode C. elegans, which forms memories using the same molecules as mammals, allowing for the rapid identification of new regulators of cognitive decline. Her lab will study how a specific type of communication between neurons, called neuropeptide signaling, can slow cognitive aging in the worm. She will also define the downstream molecular targets of neuropeptide signaling, and using pharmacological approaches, identify new “pro-memory” compounds that she can administer to worms to prevent age-related memory loss. The goal of these studies is to rapidly identify new therapies that can be studied in mammalian models of cognitive aging.
