Understanding the Role of Alzheimer's Disease Pathologies in Spatial Memory Dysfunction

Some of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are loss of orientation, wandering and misplacing items. One of the first regions vulnerable to AD pathology is the entorhinal cortex (EC), and together with hippocampus (HPC), the EC-HPC circuit is intimately involved in several memory functions, including spatial memory. Using mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, I will show how amyloid beta and tau pathologies affect neuronal and network function in the EC-HPC circuit. More specifically, I will show how the neural correlates of spatial memory, the place cell and the grid cells are impacted by AD pathologies. Further, I will demonstrate how neuronal activity influences pathology and if modulating the neuronal activity can rescue neurodegeneration. 

Learning Objectives:

1. List which regions in the brain are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease pathology.

2. Discuss how amyloid beta and tau pathologies impact spatial memory.

3. Explain how manipulation of neuronal firing can improve or worsen pathology.