Interneuronal aging in trauma-exposed World Trade Center responders
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11578608 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in WTC responders with PTSD will look at brain interneuron health using advanced imaging and proteins to understand how PTSD may affect aging brains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $247,383 |
| NIH project number | 1R21OH013156-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11578608 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who are World Trade Center responders with chronic PTSD who are eligible for neuroimaging and proteomic assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Respondents without PTSD or those unable to participate in imaging or proteomic assessments may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on veterans of the WTC rescue effort who have long-standing PTSD and may experience aging-related brain changes. Researchers will use gold-standard neuroimaging and proteomic analyses to examine interneurons, which help regulate emotions, thinking, and movement. The goal is to determine whether PTSD is linked to interneuron dysfunction or aging in this group and what that means for future treatments. If interneurons are affected, the work could guide new therapeutic directions, including combinations of supplements and medications or future stem cell approaches. Participants would contribute by undergoing imaging and biological assessments as part of the study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could lead to new treatment strategies to support brain health and functioning in PTSD-affected individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests a link between stress-related disorders and brain changes, but direct interneuron-focused evidence in PTSD is limited and this study aims to provide strong, gold-standard data.
Where this research is happening
-
State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clouston, Sean — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Clouston, Sean
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.