You are here
Systems Neuroscience of Cognition and Dementia Laboratory
The Hussaini Lab, led by Dr. Syed Abid Hussaini, takes a systems neuroscience approach to investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of learning and memory, with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease. We are fascinated by the complex interplay of neurons and circuits that allows us to encode, store, and retrieve memories, and we are driven to understand how these processes are compromised in devastating diseases like Alzheimer's. Our research centers on the EC-HPC circuit, a key brain network for spatial navigation and episodic memory, and the locus coeruleus (LC), a brainstem region implicated in both sleep and AD. We employ cutting-edge techniques to probe the function of these circuits in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease, seeking to identify the earliest pathological changes, including Aβ plaques and tau tangles, that contribute to cognitive decline. We are particularly interested in understanding the selective vulnerability of specific neuronal populations within these circuits, such as the differential impact of tau pathology on EC grid cells versus border cells and head-direction cells. We also investigate how Aβ-driven hyperactivity might exacerbate tau pathology. Our ultimate goal is to translate our findings into effective therapeutic strategies that can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease and improve the lives of those affected by this debilitating condition.
