University of Virginia-Main Campus · NeuroscienceSontheimer Neuroscience Lab
Harald W Sontheimer · Charlottesville, Virginia
Research Focus
Dr. Harald W Sontheimer's lab at the University of Virginia focuses on understanding how changes in the brain's extracellular matrix contribute to memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, the lab studies a structure called perineuronal nets (PNNs), which are believed to stabilize synapses in neurons. By investigating how amyloid and tau protein pathology affects these structures, the lab aims to uncover mechanisms underlying social recognition memory impairments in Alzheimer's patients and mouse models.
Alzheimer's Diseasememory impairmentextracellular matrixperineuronal netssocial recognition memoryamyloid pathologytau pathologymouse modelssynaptic stability
Research Aims
3AIM 01Define the timeline for PNN disruption and emergence of social memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease.
AIM 02Examine the causal role of PNNs in social memory deficits in normal aging and Alzheimer's disease.
AIM 03Explore the cellular mechanisms through which PNNs contribute to memory impairments.
Skills the Lab Values
mouse modelshistocytochemistrybehavioral studiesmolecular biology techniquesdata analysis using softwareimmunohistochemistryin situ hybridizationfluorescence microscopy
Output against the department
Publications334top 20% of dept.135th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations26ktop 15% of dept.100th of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.