How blood vessel changes cause memory problems after sepsis
Official title: Vascular mechanisms of sepsis-induced cognitive dysfunction
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11289469 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to understand why people who survive sepsis often have lasting memory and thinking problems and to find ways to stop that from happening.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 15, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $682,150 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168892-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11289469 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have survived sepsis—especially those with ongoing memory or cognitive complaints—would be the most likely candidates for related future studies or sample donation.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of sepsis or whose cognitive problems are due to other causes (for example, long‑standing Alzheimer's disease unrelated to sepsis) are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers found that fragments of a blood-vessel coating called heparan sulfate leak into the hippocampus, a brain area important for memory, after sepsis. They will study how those fragments trap a growth factor needed for learning and cause long-term cognitive problems. The team will use animal models, laboratory analysis of human tissues and blood, and experiments that try to block the harmful effects of these fragments. The work is focused on approaches that could lead to treatments to protect memory after sepsis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that prevent or reduce long-term memory and thinking problems in sepsis survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work from this team showed hippocampal heparan sulfate fragments link to cognitive decline in animals and humans, but translating that finding into treatments is still new.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herson, Paco S — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Herson, Paco S
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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.