Foundation for Polish Science extended funding for our First Team research project 4 stycznia 2021 – Posted in: News – Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We are closing the 2020 calendar year with great news about obtaining additional funding to support the main research project in our Brain and Mind Electrophysiology lab entitled: ‚Neurophysiological mapping and stimulation of the human brain for memory enhancement’. The decision was based on reviewing the progress and plans for continuing research in this project. One of the main discoveries made so far is a new area in the left frontal lobe of our cortex, which revealed unusually strong brain waves in the so-called slow theta rhythms when words were successfully remembered compared to the forgotten word trials. This area was localized close to a mysterious frontal pole region that was more developed in humans than in monkeys. Hence, it presents a very attractive potential target for new therapies to restore memory and higher brain functions.
The total funding in the grant increased after this extension and the previous financing of high-cost research equipment to approx. 3,5 mln PLN. This will allow us to continue this exciting project until September of 2022. We are now able to take advantage of the newly purchased research equipment for brain recordings with patients in Poland that will specifically target this and other candidate areas with special electrodes for accurate detection of electrical activities in individual neurons and their assemblies as memories are being formed and recalled. This will eventually lead us to stimulate specific populations of neurons to improve our capacity to remember.
We feel very grateful, privileged and humbled to serve the larger society by finding ways to combat disorders of memory and cognition. This is both an exciting challenge and a great responsibility to wisely steward our unique knowledge, skills and financial support. Feel free to ask us any question about our research!