Heal the Gut, Save the Brain: Gut-Repair After Stroke Could Prevent Cognitive Decline
Dr. Farida Sohrabji and her team found that healing the gut — not just the brain — may be the key to preventing long-term cognitive decline after stroke. Their recent work demonstrates that delivering the growth factor Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) directly to the intestine significantly reduced post-stroke inflammation, preserved gut barrier integrity, and protected the brain from cognitive impairment — even when brain-targeted therapies alone failed.
Nov 26,2025
Dr. Victor Kayejo, Sarah Kakwan (ASAP President), Dr. Karienn Souza
Community engagement with ASAP (Aggies Serving the Aging Population)
Dr. Karienn Souza gave a talk about Circadian and Sleep Disturbances in Aging in the Community engagement with ASAP.
Texas A&M Health,Nov 13,2025
Faculty/Students meet with Representative Senfronia Thompson
On November 4, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment allocating $3 billion in state funding over the next decade to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). This initiative represents the largest state-funded research effort in the country dedicated to the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, positioning Texas as a potential global leader in combating dementia. Faculty and students from the College of Medicine attended the Alzheimer's & Dementia Research Symposium of Southeast Texas in Houston on October 29th. Pictured here are faculty and students from the Neuroscience and Experimental Neuroscience department with Representative Senfronia Thompson (District 141), one of the coauthors of the constitutional amendment petitioning for the establishment of DPRIT. Pictured from left to right are Dr. Jaclyn Iannucci, Dr. Shameena Bake, Dr. Michelle Hook, Representative Thompson, Zara Akbari, Kaylin Pickle, Dr. Hannah Smith, Marivelle Levett, Dr. Karienn Souza, and Glenae Nora.
Alzheimer's & Dementia Research Symposium
Dr. Karienn Souza was a member of the Organizing Committee for the Alzheimer's & Dementia Research Symposium of Southeast Texas
In picture, Karienn Souza, member of Board of Directors of Alzheimer's & Dementia Research Symposium of Southeast Texas, Richard Elbein (CEO of Chapter) and Joanne Pike, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association.
Oct 29,2025
Brains that Resist: Uncovering Why Some Escape Alzheimer’s
Dr. Karienn Souza works on exploring the roles of circadian rhythm, neuroinflammation, immune response, and other variables in “resilient aging.”
Her lab focuses on answering a bewildering question: why do some brains, despite showing signs of neurodegeneration, never develop dementia?
Oct 3, 2025
When Minds Age Differently: Why Dementia Hits Women Harder
Dr. Farida Sohrabji's recent study sheds light on a disturbing reality: women disproportionately bear the burden of dementia. Her research reveals that biological sex — especially changes after menopause — markedly increases women’s risk for stroke and cognitive decline, helping explain why two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women.
Sep 22, 2025
9th Annual Postdoctoral Research Symposium
Dr. Deepa Upreti from Miranda Lab was awarded 1st place in the poster competition at the Texas A&M Annual Postdoctoral Research Symposium.
Title: “Impact of Prenatal Drug Exposures on the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome: Links to Addiction Risk in Adulthood”
Sep 15, 2025
International Behavioral Neuroscience Society 34th Annual Meeting
Dr. Michelle Hook and Dr. Farida Sohrabji presented at the IBNS 34th Annual Meeting, held in Tromsø, Norway.
They participated in Symposium titled " The gut–brain axis: Role of the gut in the development of affective and cognitive impairment".
Dr. Hook served as Symposium Chair.
June 24–28, 2025
Dr. Karienn Souza brings a deeply personal commitment to Alzheimer’s research, inspired by her grandmother’s experience with dementia.
June 18, 2025
The 16th Annual Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience Research Symposium showcased exciting research from the NGIA Labs.
Cassandra Kaufhold from Sohrabji Lab delivered an engaging oral presentation on Investigating the Gut-Brain-Axis in Parkinson’s Disease. The event also saw a strong showing of poster presentations from NGIA-affiliated labs.
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas (30 April 2025)
35th Annual Texas Research Society on Alcoholism Meeting (TRSA)
Dr. Deepa Upreti from Miranda lab gave a presentation on the long term effects of prenatal alcohol/cannabinoid exposure on fecal microbiome and metabolite profiles.
Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas ( 25 April 2025)
Shift work may lead to accelerated cognitive decline
A recent study led by David Earnest, PhD, Karienn de Souza, PhD, and M. Karen Newell-Rogers, PhD reveals that circadian rhythm disruptions caused by shift work-like schedules in early adulthood can persist into middle age. These findings suggest that shift work may have long-term consequences for cognitive health.