Friedman Brain Institute

07/30/2025

COMING UP FAST | NOT TO MISS!

On September 22nd, 2025, Peter Rudebeck, PhD and The Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai invite cognitive neuroscientists to a free, day-long symposium showcasing the cutting-edge research being conducted across New York City and surrounding area.

The Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to understanding the neural circuit mechanisms of higher cognitive function with the ultimate goal of applying what we learn to the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders characterized by cognitive dysfunction.

Join the symposium and help build a closer community for cognitive neuroscience in the greater New York city area.

Looking forward to seeing you in September!

Learn More about the symposium:
https://friedmanbrain.icahn.mssm.edu/lipschultz-symposium-2025/

Learn More about The Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience:
https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/lipschultz-center

RSVP: https://form.jotform.com/mssmneur0/rsvp-lipschultz-symposium-2025



The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine Princeton University Columbia University New York University Rutgers University The Rockefeller University Howard Hughes Medical Institute - HHMI

07/28/2025

TODAY | Tuesday, July 29th, 10am!

JOIN host Dr. Sarah Stanley when she welcomes the University of Virginia's Dr. John Campbell to the Seminar Series: "What happens in Vagus - Unraveling Neural Circuits for Heart and Gut Function".

Dr. Campbell's current research interest is unraveling the circuitry of the vagus nerve to understand how it controls the digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems.

The vagus nerve vitally connects the brain and body to coordinate digestive, cardiorespiratory, and immune homeostasis. Its efferent neurons, which project their axons from the brainstem to viscera, may comprise “functional units” - neuron populations dedicated to the control of specific vagal reflexes or organ functions.

Previous research indicates that vagal efferent neurons are anatomically, neurochemically, and physiologically diverse but have yet to define their identity in an experimentally tractable way.

Leveraging single-cell transcriptomics with genetic technology, the Campbell Lab is unraveling the wandering nerve to understand its organizational logic and reveal new targets for treating cardiac and metabolic diseases.

Presented by The Brain-Body Research Institute and director Scott Russo, PhD, the Brain and Body Seminar Series brings together outstanding leaders, both within the community and beyond, to highlight recent advances in understanding connections between the and in and .

The series will be held live for the Mount Sinai community and live-streamed for those from outside institutions.

Learn More about the Campbell Lab
https://campbell-lab.com/

Tuesday, July 29th, 2025 at 10am
In-Person in Davis Auditorium or via Zoom
Register: https://tinyurl.com/ykky7sf2



Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/28/2025

"The Gift of Healing: Philanthropy Supports NICU Music Therapy"

A groundbreaking project in Mount Sinai’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit promises to change the lives of the tiniest and most vulnerable patients.

This initiative, supported by a $257,000 gift from TMCity Foundation, aims to explore the profound impact of "song of kin" on the respiratory function of preterm babies.

The core of this research lies in the concept of “song of kin,” where parents or caregivers select a meaningful, culturally relevant, or personally significant piece of music, often a lullaby, which music therapists then use as a therapeutic intervention. The hypothesis is simple yet profound: when preterm babies hear this song, it will improve their respiratory function, leading to enhanced neurocognitive development.

And this practice is not just about babies...

“This funding enables our team to advance research that explores how parent-supported music therapy can strengthen respiratory function and neurodevelopment in our most vulnerable infants,” said Joanne Loewy, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, founding Director of The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, and co-leader of the project with Rachel Reed, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Newborn Medicine.

Read more about this and other Stories of Philanthropy
https://donorstories.mountsinai.org/nicu-music-therapy/

Learn More about The Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy
https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/music-therapy



The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/28/2025

TODAY and TOMORROW | July 27th and Monday July 28th, The Pasinetti Lab is proud to be taking part in the Alzheimer's Association International Conference ( ) 2025! JOIN US for both IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL presentations of our work!

The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the largest international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science and clinical practice.

Each year, AAIC convenes researchers, clinicians and dementia professionals from all career stages to share breaking research discoveries and clinical practice education that will lead to improvements in diagnosis, risk reduction and treatments for and other .

From basic science to dementia care, every aspect of the field’s growing knowledge of dementia is incorporated into this world-class conference.

Not able to attend this conference? Join the virtually.

VIRTUAL SUNDAY - July 27, 2025: 7:00 AM – 11:55 PM EDT

Virtual Only Posters
Poster #107252

"Role of Social Stress on synaptic plasticity and mood disorders in Alzheimer's Disease. Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications."

ABSTRACT: Meta-analysis studies provided strong correlations between individuals’ histories of early-life depression induced by stress and their risk of developing (AD).

While psychological stress is crucial for survival, it is unknown if maladaptive response may function as a risk factor in the onset and progression of .

In this study, using a murine model of AD, we tested the hypothesis that susceptibility to stress may promote cognitive deterioration and AD neuropathology.

VIRTUAL SUNDAY - July 27, 2025: 7:00 AM – 11:55 PM

Virtual Only Posters
Poster #107389

"Role of acute exposure to environmental stressors in the gut-brain-periphery axis in the presence of cognitive resilience"

ABSTRACT: Climate change presents an escalating threat to life and health, particularly impacting vulnerable populations. Ambient particulate matter (PM) and extreme heat stress (HS) contribute independently and synergistically to severe health problems, including respiratory and , , and increased mortality rates.

Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 µm or smaller (PM2.5) exacerbates conditions such as , , and neurodegenerative illnesses. Meanwhile, extreme heat can lead to heat-related illnesses, aggravate existing chronic conditions, and heighten pollution levels.

The combined exposure to PM and HS intensifies these negative health effects, underscoring the urgent need for effective public health interventions and policies, particularly for the elderly population, who are at a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease.

JOIN US at
LEARN MORE 👉 https://aaic.alz.org/

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/27/2025

TODAY and TOMORROW | Sunday July 27th and Monday July 28th, The is proud to be taking part in the Alzheimer's Association International Conference ( ) 2025! JOIN US for both IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL presentations of our work!

The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the largest international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science and clinical practice.

Each year, AAIC convenes researchers, clinicians and dementia professionals from all career stages to share breaking research discoveries and clinical practice education that will lead to improvements in diagnosis, risk reduction and treatments for and other .

From basic science to dementia care, every aspect of the field’s growing knowledge of dementia is incorporated into this world-class conference.

IN-PERSON SUNDAY - July 27, 2025: 7:30 AM – 4:15 PM

Drug Development: Human
Poster #107233

"Novel Approach to Improve Immunotherapy Efficacy while Mitigating Side Effects of Alzheimer's Disease. An Experimental Approach"

ABSTRACT: Lecanemab, a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting oligomer, protofibrils and fibril forms of beta-amyloid, has been reported to reduce amyloid pathology and improve impaired cognition after administration of a high dose (10 mg/kg) of the drug in Alzheimerʼs disease (AD) clinical trials.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and the associated molecular mechanisms of a lower dose of lecanemab (1 mg/kg) with enhanced delivery via focused ultrasound (FUS) in a mouse model of AD.

IN-PERSON MONDAY - July 28, 2025: 7:30 AM – 4:15 PM

Drug Development: Human
Poster #107287

"Role of gut microbiota-derived metabolites in neurodegenerative disorders involving protein misfolding and C9orf72 expansion associated with dementia"

ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence that in many neurodegenerative disorders, cell-to-cell transmission of a pathological, misfolded protein, such as misfolding of α-synuclein (α-syn) in , may be a vehicle for the spreading of pathology throughout the brain. This misfolded protein, or seed, further induces misfolding of native proteins within the cell. Pathological misfolded proteins may exist in diverse conformations with distinct cellular and biochemical properties.

Here, we investigate whether microbiota-derived metabolites may help attenuate the misfolding of α-syn and thereby promote against phenotypes. We identified six biologically available gut microbiota-derived compounds (GMP10, GMP11, GMP26, GMP28, GMP39, and GMP44) for investigation.

JOIN US at
LEARN MORE 👉 https://aaic.alz.org/

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/25/2025

Mummies on Cannabis Gummies: Meet the Mothers Getting High at Home | Frazzled American parents are swapping a nightly glass of chardonnay for chewable THC gummies. But are they ignoring the health risks?

At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, Yasmin Hurd, PhD has spent years researching the impact of cannabis — whether smoked or eaten in gummies — on the developing brain. And she is sounding the alarm.

Hurd says that compared with the w**d flower that so many people were imprisoned for selling or possessing before legalisation, many of the current legal products on the market are far stronger.

“The cannabis products out there are so potent and so dangerous compared with products sold in the past... It’s just shocking... THC is not a benign chemical... We’re pounding our receptors with those high concentrations of THC, and the higher the concentration the more toxic they are for cells.” - Dr. Yasmin Hurd

Learn More in The Sunday Times
https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/mummies-on-cbd-and-thc-gummies-meet-the-mothers-getting-high-at-home-h28vtch9f



The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

Frazzled American parents are swapping a nightly glass of chardonnay for chewable THC gummies. But are they ignoring the health risks?

07/23/2025

The pandemic aged our brains, whether we got or not, study finds

Using brain scans from a very large database, British researchers Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad, et al. at the University of Nottingham determined that during the pandemic years of 2021 and 2022, people’s brains showed signs of aging, including shrinkage.

“The most intriguing finding in this study is that only those who were infected with showed any cognitive deficits, despite structural aging... This speaks a little to the effects of the virus itself.” - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai's Jacqueline Becker, Ph.D.

And that may eventually help explain syndromes, such as long Covid and chronic fatigue, she said.

Learn More in Nature Communications | Nature Portfolio
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02313-3

Overview at NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-pandemic-accelerated-brain-aging-study-rcna220048

07/23/2025

Congratulations to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai's Anna Bright for being named a Lasker Foundation 2025 Essay Contest winner for her essay "Sending Science Down Yonder".

This year, the Lasker Foundation asked early-career scientists and health professionals to identify a specific innovation in education or training to help ensure a sustainable, inclusive, and successful future biomedical research workforce.

The winning essays are published in the July 15th issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Read Anna Bright's "Sending Science Down Yonder"
https://laskerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/JCI-Bright-2025-Essay-Contest.pdf

Anna's research focuses on myelin biology in , and she is passionate about improving scientific accessibility and education. She recently joined the Alzforum team as a science writer, where she reports on research.

Interested in learning more about Anna Bright and the other winners: watch the interviews to find out who inspires them, what they think is the best part of doing research, and what they anticipate will be the next big thing in their field.
https://laskerfoundation.org/meet-winners-2025-essay-contest/



The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/23/2025

This Friday 👉 July 25 at 3pm!

Animal behavior changes considerably over postnatal development. Early in life, homeostatic needs like hunger or thermoregulation are met through social interactions. Upon weaning and puberty, animals become physiologically independent, and sex-specific social behaviors mature.

How do such changes relate to the development of underlying neuronal circuits?

Find out on Friday, July 25 at 3pm when you join hosts Drs. Marco Rizzo and Tamara Markovic as they welcome Harvard University's Dr. Harris Kaplan to where he will present “A coming-of-age story: neuronal control of behavior in early life".

Learn More about Dr. Kaplan
https://harriskaplan.com/

Hosts: Marco Rizzo, PhD & Tamara Markovic, PhD
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025, at 3 PM
Location: Hess 5-101 and via Zoom



Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine Howard Hughes Medical Institute - HHMI

07/23/2025

Women are twice as likely to develop depression than men. Furthermore, depression can manifest with different symptoms between the sexes, including alterations in negative rumination on the past. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear.

This study builds on a recent breakthrough involving a traditionally overlooked class of molecules known as non-coding RNA that were found to play a pivotal role in depression pathology and sheds important light on how specific types of decisions that could negatively impact mood engage the male and female brain in very different ways.

Furthermore, the study sheds light on psychological aspects of vs. vulnerabilities to in females and offers new insights for establishing a mechanistic link between the neurobiology of responses and how affective states interact with our choices.

The implications of this research are significant. The study points to a novel molecular target for new drug development as well as an anatomical target for brain stimulation therapeutics that could potentially treat depressive symptoms related to negative rumination, specifically for females.

Learn More in Science Advances | Science
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr3228

Change-of-mind neuroeconomic decision-making is modulated by LINC00473 in medial prefrontal cortex in a sex-dependent manner
- Romain Durand-de Cuttoli, Orna Issler, Sam Michael Bae Pedersen, Benjamin Yakubov, Nusrat Jahan, Aisha Abid, Susanna Kasparov, Kastalia Granizo, Sanjana Ahmed, Scott Russo, Eric J. Nestler and Brian Sweis



Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine NYU Langone Health The City University of New York Hunter College

Overview in News Medical | Life Sciences
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250712/Prefrontal-brain-RNA-drives-female-specific-brain-resilience-to-depression.aspx

07/22/2025

TONIGHT | Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025!

Do you have SWAG? Are you a Scholar-athlete with Academic Goals? Are you interested in the Medical Sciences, Research, and Health Careers?

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is relaunching its popular Game Plan series, focusing on Junior high, high school, and college students with SWAG. If you have SWAG, you are invited to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for the a Scholar-Athlete Summit tonight, Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025.

Who should attend? Students, parents, academic advisors, coaches, educators, and athletic/health administrators. The event will cover "how your experience as an athlete puts you in a unique position for a career in science and/or medicine", an "introduction to pipeline programs that enhance academic preparedness" and "discussions by a panel of speakers".

Hear from Anina Lund, a Danish-Ecuadorian American Neuroscientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where her research takes a multimodal approach to understanding the structural organization of the human brain.

Before her scientific career, Anina was a competitive distance freestyle swimmer. She trained with the Badger Swim Club in New York, where she was a three-time Scholastic All-American and qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400m and 800m freestyle events. She competed collegiately as a member of the California Golden Bears Swim Team, earning CSCAA Honorable Mention All-American Scholar recognition, and internationally for Denmark at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, where she anchored the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

Register Now
https://mountsinai.formstack.com/forms/athletes_with_swag



The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine

07/17/2025

This Friday ➡️ July 25 at 3pm

Animal behavior changes considerably over postnatal development. Early in life, homeostatic needs like hunger or thermoregulation are met through social interactions. Upon weaning and puberty, animals become physiologically independent, and sex-specific social behaviors mature.

How do such changes relate to the development of underlying neuronal circuits?

Find out on Friday, July 25 at 3pm when you join hosts Drs. Marco Rizzo and Tamara Markovic as they welcome Harvard University's Dr. Harris Kaplan to where he will present “A coming-of-age story: neuronal control of behavior in early life".

Learn More about Dr. Kaplan
https://harriskaplan.com/

Hosts: Marco Rizzo, PhD & Tamara Markovic, PhD
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025, at 3 PM
Location: Hess 5-101 and via Zoom



Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Mount Sinai Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine Howard Hughes Medical Institute - HHMI