Brain growth and thinking outcomes after two treatments for post-infectious hydrocephalus in Ugandan children
Official title: Neurocognitive outcomes and changes in brain and CSF volume after treatment of post-infectious hydrocephalus in Ugandan infants by shunting or ETV/CPC: a randomized prospective trial
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11160768 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows children treated as infants for post-infectious hydrocephalus to compare long-term brain growth and thinking skills after shunt surgery versus endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $377,084 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD085853-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11160768 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children who had post-infectious hydrocephalus treated as infants—especially those treated at CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda—who can attend long-term follow-up visits are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Children without post-infectious hydrocephalus, those treated for other hydrocephalus causes, or those unable to return for follow-up visits are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
You or your child would be followed from infancy into early school age to track brain growth and developmental progress after treatment for post-infectious hydrocephalus. The original trial randomly assigned infants to either shunt surgery or ETV/CPC, and this renewal continues to follow those same children for longer-term outcomes. Participants will receive periodic brain imaging, measurements of cerebrospinal fluid and brain volumes, and detailed neurocognitive testing during clinic visits. The team will also compare long-term costs and outcomes to help guide future treatment choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help doctors choose the treatment that best supports brain growth and thinking in children with post-infectious hydrocephalus.
How similar studies have gone: An earlier randomized trial through 24 months found no clear difference between the two treatments for failure rate or early development but showed brain volume strongly relates to development and suggested longer follow-up may reveal differences.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schiff, Steven J — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Schiff, Steven J
Related research
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Endoscopic versus Shunt Treatment of Hydrocephalus in Infants
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Endoscopic treatment versus shunt for hydrocephalus in infants
This project tests whether a shunt-free endoscopic procedure can be as good as traditional shunting for babies with hydrocephalus.
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Endoscopic treatment vs shunt for infant hydrocephalus
Infants with hydrocephalus may be treated with a shunt or a shunt-free procedure called ETV+CPC, and this study compares the two to see if the shunt-free option can keep cognitive outcomes similar.
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Functional screen of hydrocephalus and heart-disease genes in a frog model
A study uses frog embryos to test how human genetic changes might cause congenital hydrocephalus and related heart defects, with the goal of understanding why these conditions occur.
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Modulating choroid plexus function to restore CSF balance in hydrocephalus
A new NIH grant aims to adjust the choroid plexus, the brain’s CSF factory, to restore normal CSF flow and reduce hydrocephalus-related problems.
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.