David Weinshenker
Emory University, GA·Neuroscience
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 6 million Americans. Some of the earliest brain changes in AD occur in the locus coeruleus (LC), a small brainstem region whose neurons make the signaling chemical norepinephrine.
- Fields
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Genetics
- Topics
Alzheimer's disease
dementia
neurodegeneration
- Grants
- 2 known grants, through Apr 2030
What they work on
- Determine how neuromelanin, a pigment in norepinephrine neurons, affects locus coeruleus survival in mice, using a viral vector expressing human tyrosinase (hTyr) to make these neurons produce neuromelanin.
- Measure how neuromelanin alters locus coeruleus firing and gene expression in mice, and whether these changes cause behaviors resembling early and cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
- Identify factors that change neuromelanin buildup and toxicity by manipulating norepinephrine synthesis and breakdown, and tau protein, in the mouse locus coeruleus.
- Recruit, mentor and evaluate new and early-stage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias investigators through tailored education plans in the Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.
More about the research
Abnormal tau protein appears there first, and the region shrinks. These changes coincide with early symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety, depression and agitation, well before memory loss. The research asks why LC neurons are so vulnerable and how their decline drives symptoms. Alongside this research project, the lab leads a training program for new Alzheimer's researchers.
Why it matters
Alzheimer's disease has no cure or disease-modifying treatment. Learning why norepinephrine-producing locus coeruleus neurons degenerate early, and whether neuromelanin drives that loss, could lead to new biomarkers and therapies. Such therapies could prevent this cell loss and the early behavioral and cognitive symptoms. Training new investigators supports the workforce needed to develop ADRD diagnostics and treatments.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Qi Wang
Columbia University, NY·Neuroscience
Determine whether long-term chemogenetic stimulation of the locus coeruleus, the brain's main norepinephrine source, delays memory decline and improves synaptic plasticity in amyloid and tau mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
Ahmed Abdelmoneim
Louisiana State University, LA·Neuroscience
Test whether lead-induced disruption of noradrenergic (noradrenaline-based) signaling causes altered stress responses in developing zebrafish, using genetic and pharmacological modulation of this signaling.
Balaji Krishnan
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, TX·Neuroscience
Test how elevated levels and signaling of phospholipase D1 (PLD1), a lipid-cleaving enzyme, at synapses contribute to synaptic dysfunction and memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
The school
Emory University: 70 labs on PI Pages, $1.2B a year on research, 286 research doctorates a year.
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