Lateral habenula circuit dysfunction in mild traumatic brain injury
Funded at Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med · NIH-11347176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how mild traumatic brain injury affects a brain region called the lateral habenula and may contribute to depression, anxiety, and related mood problems, using mouse models to understand potential treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bethesda, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $372,880 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS148504-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11347176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with a history of mild traumatic brain injury who experience mood or motivational symptoms and are interested in future neurobiological therapy approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a history of mTBI or without mood symptoms related to mTBI may not directly benefit from this basic-to-translational study.
What this research studies
This project uses a sex-balanced repetitive mouse model of mild traumatic brain injury to explore how LHb dysfunction contributes to mood and motivation deficits. The team examines changes in LHb neuronal activity, synaptic balance, and astrocyte involvement, and tests whether inhibiting LHb neurons can restore motivated behavior. They also investigate how cortical input to the LHb and astrocyte-neuron interactions may drive persistent mood dysregulation after injury. The findings could illuminate targets for therapies addressing affective symptoms after mTBI in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new brain circuit targets for treating depression and anxiety after mild traumatic brain injury.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked LHb hyperactivity to mood deficits and shown that manipulating this circuit can reverse symptoms in animal models, supporting potential relevance to humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
Bethesda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nugent, Fereshteh S — Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
- Study coordinator: Nugent, Fereshteh S
Related research
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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.