Aidan Butler
University of Toledo College of Medicine

Internship:

Aiden's summer research at Rosalind Franklin University in Dr. Hunsberger's lab will investigate how anxiety differently affects memory and brain function in males and females with Alzheimer's Disease.

This summer, Aidan Butler, a medical student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, spent his time investigating new ways to improve care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to support from the OSMA Foundation’s Summer Scholars Program, Aidan joined Dr. Holly Hunsberger’s lab at Rosalind Franklin University to explore how anxiety, benzodiazepines, and psilocybin affect memory and brain function.

His research combined clinical data and mouse models to uncover important sex-specific differences in how these drugs impact the brain. His findings suggest that psilocybin may offer promising cognitive benefits for Alzheimer’s patients, while benzodiazepines carry distinct risks that may vary between men and women.

In Aidan's Words:

“I really enjoyed connecting brain circuit findings to behavior—and seeing how this research could lead to safer, more effective treatment strategies for patients.”

The work has been submitted for presentation at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Dr. Hunsberger and the OSMA Foundation for making this summer possible. It deepened my interest in neuroscience and strengthened my commitment to translational research.”