Cranial Osteopathic Care to Support Brain Health After Injury
Official title: Cranial Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Enhances Brain Fluid Flow Alleviating Neuroinflammation
Funded at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine · NIH-11391235 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-delivered head-and-neck technique may help improve brain fluid flow and reduce brain inflammation in people who have had an acquired brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $432,132 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AT012910-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391235 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with acquired brain injury who could benefit from brain health-supportive therapies and are candidates for integrative treatment approaches.
✕Less likely to help
People without acquired brain injury or those for whom manual head-and-neck therapies are unsafe or not recommended may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant tests cranial osteopathic manipulative medicine (cOMM), a gentle manual technique applied to the head and neck, to see how it affects brain tissue movement and fluid flow. Researchers will look at how cOMM interacts with the cholinergic system and inflammatory processes in the brain, using models that reflect human brain injury. The study aims to connect physical therapy-like treatment with measurable brain changes that could relate to better cognitive and neurologic outcomes. Results could point to a new approach to supporting brain health after injury, complementing existing therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, non-drug options to help clear inflammatory molecules and support brain function after injury.
How similar studies have gone: Prior data suggest that related approaches can influence brain function and inflammation in animal models, but human data are limited and this study seeks to bridge that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brolinson, Per Gunnar — Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Study coordinator: Brolinson, Per Gunnar
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.