Antiglutamate treatment to protect the brain from nerve-agent seizures
Official title: Antiglutamatergic Therapy to Protect the Brain Against Nerve Agents
Funded at Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med · NIH-11174325 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing a medicine that blocks glutamate receptors to stop seizures and protect the brain after nerve-agent exposure in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bethesda, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $721,888 |
| NIH project number | 5U01NS123252-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11174325 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who are exposed to organophosphate nerve agents and develop seizures or status epilepticus, or adults eligible for future emergency countermeasure trials.
✕Less likely to help
People with seizures from other causes, children under 21, or those who cannot tolerate antiglutamatergic drugs are unlikely to benefit from this specific countermeasure.
What this research studies
If you were exposed to a nerve agent and developed dangerous seizures, researchers are developing a drug that blocks glutamate receptors because it reduced seizures and early brain injury in animal tests. The team will examine whether this antiglutamatergic approach can stop prolonged seizures (status epilepticus) caused by nerve agents and limit later brain damage, building on prior rat studies. Work will include laboratory and preclinical studies with plans toward adult-focused countermeasure strategies for chemical exposures. The goal is a faster, stronger treatment than current benzodiazepines to protect the brain after mass or individual nerve-agent incidents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could provide a more effective anti-seizure treatment that prevents death and long-term brain damage after nerve-agent exposure.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies showed the AMPA/GluK1 antagonist (tezampanel) reduced seizures and immediate brain injury better than diazepam or midazolam, but long-term protection and human testing remain limited.
Where this research is happening
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Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
Bethesda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Braga, Maria F. — Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
- Study coordinator: Braga, Maria F.
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.