Brain causes of thinking and mood problems in childhood lupus
Official title: Biobehavioral Basis and Outcomes of Cognitive Dysfunction in Childhood-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11173802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses different brain scans and measures to find why children and teens with lupus have trouble with thinking, memory, or mood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $209,163 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AR083599-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents diagnosed with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus who have concerns about thinking, memory, attention, or mood would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without childhood-onset lupus, adults with late-onset SLE, or anyone unable to undergo MRI/fNIRS (for example due to incompatible implants or severe claustrophobia) are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If your child has childhood-onset lupus and is having trouble in school, with memory, or with mood, this work aims to link those problems to specific brain changes. Researchers will use noninvasive brain imaging (functional scans like fMRI and fNIRS, diffusion scans for white-matter structure, and high-resolution MRI to look at the choroid plexus) and lab measures to look for signs of inflammation. The team will compare these brain and biological signals with how children are doing on thinking tests and everyday functioning. Findings could point to biological markers that explain cognitive and behavioral problems and help guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help doctors recognize and target the brain changes behind cognitive and mood problems in childhood lupus, improving diagnosis and future treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked brain volume loss to cognitive problems in childhood lupus, but combining functional, microstructural, and choroid plexus imaging together is a newer approach that remains understudied.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Upadhyay, Jaymin a — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Upadhyay, Jaymin a
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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.