Brain cell ion balance and swelling after sudden brain injury
Official title: Neuronal Ion and Volume Shifts After Acute Brain Injury
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11324023 · Data updated 2026-11-12
They are looking at how changes in ion levels and cell size after a sudden brain injury cause swelling or shrinkage for people with acquired brain injuries, including newborns.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,226,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35NS116852-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324023 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recent acquired brain injuries — including adults with traumatic or stroke-related brain swelling and parents of very low birthweight or newborn infants with brain injury or seizures — would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without brain injuries, those with chronic stable neurological conditions unrelated to acute ion/volume problems, or individuals unable to access the study site are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
This work focuses on how neurons control ions (especially chloride) and cell volume after an acute brain injury, and how that control affects GABA signaling and seizures. The team studies the physical effects of charged macromolecules (Donnan effects) that change chloride and water movement inside and outside neurons. They explain why mature brains tend to swell (cytotoxic edema) while immature brains may shrink, and how those changes can cause MRI differences, tissue stretch, and bleeding in very low birthweight infants. The program builds on prior lab-to-clinic work and combines laboratory experiments, analysis of imaging and tissue effects, and steps toward clinical applications at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new ways to prevent or treat brain swelling in adults and reduce tissue injury and bleeding in premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: The lead investigator has already moved a therapy based on anion homeostasis into clinical use for neonatal seizures, so related approaches have shown clinical promise.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Staley, Kevin J. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Staley, Kevin J.
Related research
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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.