Aging after traumatic brain injury — balance and fall risk
Aging with a Traumatic Brain Injury: Implications for Balance Deficits and Fall Risk
This work checks whether adults who had a moderate traumatic brain injury at least 15 years ago have more balance problems and higher fall risk as they age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309545 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will enroll adults (many Veterans) who had a moderate TBI in early or middle adulthood and compare them with people who did not have a TBI. I may be asked to do balance and thinking (cognitive) tests, share my medical and fall history, and possibly give blood or other samples. The team will look for lasting brain and body changes that could explain worse balance or more falls years after injury. Results could point to rehabilitation or lifestyle steps to help people keep their balance as they get older.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) who experienced a moderate traumatic brain injury at least 15 years ago, particularly Veterans connected to the Gainesville VHA, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People with recent TBIs (less than 15 years), those without any history of brain injury, or those whose balance problems are caused by unrelated severe neurological or medical conditions are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify people at higher fall risk after long-ago TBI and suggest ways to reduce falls and preserve function with age.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows long-term cognitive and brain changes after TBI, but directly linking past moderate TBI to later-life balance problems and falls is a newer and less-tested area.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- Veterans Health Administration — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clark, David J — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Clark, David J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.