New approaches for long-term pain after repeated mild head injuries
Official title: Novel treatments of chronic pain due to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury
Funded at Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-11220687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The project looks at whether blocking a brain inflammation pathway can reduce long-term pain after repeated mild head injuries in people of different ages and sexes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rlr VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004297-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11220687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic or widespread pain that began after one or more mild concussions or repetitive head impacts — including older adults and Veterans with fall-related head injuries — would be the ideal candidates for future therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is unrelated to head injury, caused by clear structural damage, or driven mainly by non-inflammatory causes are less likely to benefit from therapies based on this inflammasome pathway.
What this research studies
To understand why some people develop lasting pain after repeated mild head injuries, researchers will use specially engineered mice that light up when a key inflammation enzyme called caspase-1 turns on. They will give controlled mild head impacts to younger and older male and female mice, take live images over time, and map where and when inflammation appears in the brain. By tracking the NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream signals like IL-1β, the team aims to pinpoint how neuroinflammation drives chronic pain and identify targets for new treatments. Findings could guide therapies that block caspase-1 or inflammasome signaling to reduce pain after concussion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new inflammation-targeting treatments that reduce or prevent chronic widespread pain after repeated mild head injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have linked NLRP3/caspase-1 and IL-1β to pain and neuroinflammation with promising preclinical results, but clinical therapies targeting these pathways remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Rlr VA Medical Center
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: White, Fletcher a — Rlr VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: White, Fletcher a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New ways to treat chronic pain after mild brain injuries
A research team is studying why some people develop long-lasting pain after a mild head injury and how brain inflammation contributes to it.
-
New treatments for chronic pain from mild brain injuries
This study is looking at how mild concussions, which many older veterans experience, can lead to long-lasting pain and inflammation in the brain, and it hopes to find new ways to help those dealing with chronic pain from these injuries.
-
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A High-Tech Look Inside the Brain with Diffusion MRI
Researchers are using advanced brain imaging to find biological clues in people who have mild traumatic brain injuries.
-
How neuromodulation may help headaches after a mild brain injury
A small study tests whether stimulating the brain with a noninvasive technique can lessen persistent headaches in people who recently had a concussion.
-
Retraining brain pathways to boost thinking after a mild head injury
A clinical trial tests a brain-training program to improve thinking and memory in people who have had a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
-
Neurobehavioral effects of childhood brain injuries and addiction risk in twins
This grant studies how mild traumatic brain injury in childhood might influence behavior and the chance of developing addictive behaviors later in life, using twins to understand what’s due to injury versus other factors.
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.