Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A High-Tech Look Inside the Brain with Diffusion MRI
Official title: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Unveiled Using Diffusion MRI as an in vivo Microscope
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11450398 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using advanced brain imaging to find biological clues in people who have mild traumatic brain injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $672,554 |
| NIH project number | 2R01NS119767-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450398 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals who have experienced a mild traumatic brain injury and are undergoing imaging-based assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe brain injury, unrelated neurological conditions, or without access to advanced MRI may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project uses diffusion MRI with cutting-edge techniques to visualize brain microstructure after a mild TBI and to identify imaging markers that relate to symptoms and recovery. The study will track how these microstructural measures change over time and link them to clinical outcomes using sophisticated statistics. By leveraging high-gradient MRI and specialized modeling, it aims to build a quantitative framework to diagnose injury, monitor recovery, and help predict risk. The team combines clinical MTBI expertise, neuroimaging, psychology, and biostatistics to ensure rigorous data collection and analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more precise diagnosis, better information about recovery timelines, and tailored monitoring based on objective brain biomarkers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous diffusion MRI work has shown promise in capturing microstructural changes after brain injury, and this project aims to advance those findings with new methods.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lui, Yvonne W — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lui, Yvonne W
Related research
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Understanding and improving reactive balance after mild traumatic brain injury
This grant tests how people recover their balance after a mild brain injury and how targeted training could help prevent falls.
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Lateral habenula circuit dysfunction in mild traumatic brain injury
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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.