At JAX, neuroscience research focuses on understanding how the brain functions as an integrated system—and what changes tip it toward disease. JAX scientists study how genetics, environment, and biology interact over time to shape brain health, with an emphasis on identifying early changes that occur long before symptoms appear. This systems-level approach is helping redefine how neurodegenerative diseases are detected and understood.
Researchers are mapping the brain with unprecedented precision, examining not just cells and genes but also proteins and lipids that control how brain cells communicate. Using advanced technologies such as single-cell mass spectrometry, JAX researchers can now observe brain biology at a level of detail that was not possible just a few years ago.
people in the U.S. are affected by a neurological disease or disorder
since 1990: The total disability and death rate from neurological condition
people in the U.S. living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias
The number of global deaths caused annually by neurological conditions
Sources: American Academy of Neurology, National Institute on Aging, World Health Organization
From neurodegeneration to behavior, JAX scientists are unraveling the complexities of the nervous system. We use advanced genetic tools, research models, and state-of-the-art technology to explore how the brain develops, ages, and responds to disease. The goal: to drive new treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's, autism, and stroke.
“We still don't know enough about how the brain works, and therefore why it breaks. If we want to treat brain disease effectively, we first have to understand how the brain works when it's healthy. That’s the foundation of neuroscience research at JAX.”
- Gareth Howell, Ph.D. | JAX Professor and Diana Davis Spencer Foundation Chair for Glaucoma Research
By studying lipids, Kristen O’Connell is uncovering how memory breaks down over time and how to preserve it.
View more
In the Joy Lab at The Jackson Laboratory, researchers examine the neural pathways in the brain after a stroke, laying the groundwork for targeted therapies for recovery
View more
What if a routine eye scan could tell a doctor if you were at risk of Alzheimer’s disease? Gareth Howell is exploring how genetics shape the way our eyes—and brains—age.
View more
Mice don’t get Alzheimer’s—and while that’s good news for mice, it’s a big problem for biomedical researchers seeking to understand the disease and test new treatments. As part of the Model Organism Development and Evaluation for Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (MODEL-AD) consortium, The Jackson Laboratory has worked to create the first strain of mice that’s genetically susceptible to late-onset Alzheimer’s.
Support JAX research
Your gift makes it possible for discoveries to happen faster, for novel ideas to be explored and for research to accelerate forward at a scale that delivers life-changing scientific breakthroughs.
To understand disease mechanisms and ultimately develop effective therapies for AD, it is essential we apply state-of-the-art approaches to generate the next generation of more predictive animal models and make these models widely available…
View more
The JAX Center for Addiction Biology is an integrated research center designed to bring together an interdisciplinary community of researchers into the study of addiction, making extensive use of the laboratory mouse and cross-cutting…
View more
The JAX Center for Aging Research's long-term goal is to build a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms at work in lifespan and health span.
View moreExercise-induced activation of ventromedial hypothalamic steroidogenic factor-1 neurons mediates improvements in endurance. Neuron (2026).
GPR156 is required in sensory hair cells for proper auditory and vestibular function. Scientific Reports (2026).
Integrated phenotypic and proteomic screening identifies top-tier Alzheimer's disease therapeutic targets. Alzheimer’s and Dementia (2025).
Meta-analysis of genetic mapping studies in mice reveals candidate epilepsy modifier genes that are outside the current drug development landscape. Epilepsia (2025).
Integrating SNP Dimensionality Reduction and Bootstrapped k-NN Imputation for Cognitive Function Prediction in AD-BXD Mice. Alzheimer’s and Dementia (2025).
JAX research extends far beyond any single disease area. Just a few of the diseases and disorders being researched at JAX are:
The Jackson Laboratory offers programs designed to advance your research and understanding of Alzheimer's disease and aging through expert-led training.
View more
The Jackson Laboratory’s Cooperative Ph.D. Program provides training in mammalian genetics and genomic medicine through partnerships with degree-granting academic institutions.
Learn more
