Project - Towards a refined understanding of the neurocircuity of memory dysfunction in younger-onset dementia

Disease area:

Dementia, AD, Semantic dementia, memory dysfunction, neuroconnectivity

Research Project Description

Memory dysfunction is common in dementia, yet the emergence of memory difficulties reflects divergent patterns of atrophy across different dementia syndromes. The precise contribution of anterior versus posterior brain regions within distributed memory networks to discrete aspects of memory remain unclear. Further, how these regions are differentially compromised across dementia types and potentially contribute to memory dysfunction remains unexplored.

This proposed research aims to explore the memory network changes in younger-onset dementia from a network neuroscience perspective, using cognitive and behavioural measurements and advanced neuroimaging techniques. Building on recent advances in the neuroscience literature, I will explore how disruptions along the anterior-posterior axis of hippocampus contribute to memory dysfunction in dementia syndromes. The specific aims are as follows:

• Explore how hippocampal deterioration along the anterior-posterior axis related to memory deficits between dementia types over time
• Develop and validate novel memory tasks to differentially stress anterior- versus posterior-mediated aspects of memory
• Explore functional dysconnectivity in hippocampal subfields to large-scale brain networks between dementia types