How concussion-related brain circuits cause long-lasting pain
Official title: The Role of Pain-Facilitating Circuits in Chronic Pain after Traumatic Brain Injury
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11204588 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how concussion changes brain circuits that can make headaches and body pain persist, to help people with ongoing pain after mild TBI.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2024 |
| Project end | September 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2BX006567-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11204588 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) who have persistent headaches or generalized chronic pain would be the most relevant patients for future clinical work based on this research.
✕Less likely to help
People whose pain is clearly caused by non-TBI conditions, short-term acute injuries, or purely peripheral nerve problems are less likely to benefit from brain-circuit–focused approaches.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how a concussion can disrupt your brain's natural pain-control circuits, focusing on a brainstem region called the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) and its ON-cells that can amplify pain. Using laboratory models and neurophysiology techniques, they will examine how these pain-promoting cells become sensitized after mild TBI and how that changes pain signals from the body. The team aims to map the cellular and circuit-level changes that make headaches and widespread pain last longer and feel worse after concussion. This is primarily lab-based work at the VA Palo Alto, designed to lay the groundwork for future patient-focused tests and treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets in brain pain circuits for treatments that reduce chronic headaches and body pain after concussion.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and some clinical studies have linked RVM ON-cell sensitization to other chronic pain conditions, but applying that mechanism specifically to concussion-related chronic pain is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Qiliang — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Chen, Qiliang
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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.