New treatments for chronic pain from mild brain injuries
Official title: Novel treatments of chronic pain due to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury
Funded at Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-10932964 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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 | 5I01RX004297-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10932964 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults, particularly veterans, who have experienced mild concussive events and suffer from chronic pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced mild traumatic brain injuries or do not suffer from chronic pain related to such injuries may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how mild concussive events, often experienced by older veterans, lead to chronic pain and neuroinflammation. By using a special type of mouse that can show changes in brain inflammation, the researchers aim to understand the processes that contribute to long-term pain after such injuries. The study will explore the role of specific proteins involved in inflammation and how they affect pain perception over time. This approach may help identify new treatment strategies for those suffering from chronic pain due to mild traumatic brain injuries.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that alleviate chronic pain for patients with a history of mild brain injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding neuroinflammation and its role in chronic pain, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
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.
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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 approaches for long-term pain after repeated mild head injuries
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.
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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.
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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.