Nia Therapeutics

How does memory formation work?

Details about events and experiences, such as what you had for breakfast this morning or people's names at a cocktail party, can only be recalled later if the memory is encoded first. When the memory system is functioning well, the brain exhibits one pattern of activity, and when when it is not functioning well, it exhibits a different pattern of activation. These patterns can be detected using tiny wires (electrodes) placed within the brain.

How can memory formation be restored?

Our team has demonstrated that applying gentle electrical pulses to the brain, at just the right time and at the right location, can change these patterns of activation in the brain. These electrical pulses are like little nudges that can keep people in the zone of good memory performance.

This concept—stimulating the brain to improve memory encoding—may restore the brain’s ability to form episodic memories. With precisely calibrated patterns of electrical stimulation in our research studies, we’ve shown that participants can improve their capacity to remember.

Explore the neuroscientific principles of memory established by Nia researchers

01.

Defining the neural network of memory

Research from Dr. Kahana’s lab has identified the network of brain regions critical to remembering items from lists of words. By testing participants with electrodes implanted in their brain, his team determined the specific brain regions that are essential to proper functioning of the memory network (Burke et al., 2014). With these regions established, his team explored not just where in the brain memory resides, but how to directly stimulate these areas to correct lapses in memory.

02.

Modulating memory-related brain states using direct brain stimulation

In 2017, we determined that the brain effectively operates in two different “memory states,” one that allows memories to be effectively stored, and another that does not. By analyzing the brain activity from each patient we could distinguish these two brain states. We then showed that we could flip the switch using direct stimulation of the brain, toggling between the “forgetting” and “remembering” brain states (Ezzyat et al., 2017).

03.

Using feedback from the brain to improve treatment

In 2018, we took the concept one step further by using AI algorithms to predict the brain’s state in real-time, and using this prediction to control stimulation delivery. This is called personalized (or closed-loop) stimulation, because the stimulation therapy is meant to be personalized to each participant’s unique pattern of brain activity. In our research, personalized stimulation to the temporal lobe during periods of poor predicted memory resulted in memory improvements (Ezzyat et al., 2018).

04.

Incorporating
AI algorithms to optimize brain stimulation patterns

Finally, we incorporated all of these learnings into a clinical study of participants with a history of TBI. Using a research prototype, we have shown that AI-guided, closed-loop stimulation of the temporal lobe improved verbal memory in participants with TBI (Kahana et al., 2023). Four of the eight participants in this study demonstrated clinically-relevant improvement in memory function, and we are currently studying whether refinement of the surgical procedure may improve functional outcomes (Ezzyat et al., 2024).

Disclaimer

The Smart Neurostimulation System (SNS) is in pre-clinical development to potentially treat the symptom of verbal memory loss in patients with traumatic brain injury. The SNS is not yet cleared by FDA to diagnose or treat any disease. The studies referenced above were all approved by an Institutional Review Board and conducted using an early research prototype.

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