Repairing long-term nerve-connection damage after moderate brain injury with MitoQ
Persistent Pre- and Post-Synaptic Changes After Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury and Mitigation with MitoQ
This project sees if the antioxidant MitoQ can protect and restore the nerve connections damaged by moderate traumatic brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Decatur, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176707 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses a mouse model of moderate traumatic brain injury to study long-lasting damage to nerve connections (synapses) and whether MitoQ, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, can prevent or repair that damage. The team will examine both presynaptic and postsynaptic structures and measure molecular signs of oxidative and proteolytic damage. Functional tests will look at neurotransmitter release and synaptic performance during subacute and chronic phases after injury. If MitoQ preserves synaptic proteins and lipids in these experiments, it could point toward treatments to help people recover brain function after moderate TBI.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for any future human studies would be people—often veterans—with a history of moderate TBI and ongoing cognitive, emotional, or daily-life difficulties.
Not a fit: People with only very mild, single concussions or those with very long-standing, severe brain damage may be less likely to benefit from synapse-targeted therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that protect synapses after moderate TBI and improve recovery of thinking, mood, and everyday functioning.
How similar studies have performed: Other antioxidant strategies have shown promise in laboratory models, but long-term protection of synapses after moderate TBI is a relatively new area and not yet proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
Decatur, UNITED STATES
- Veterans Health Administration — Decatur, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Kevin Ka Wang — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Wang, Kevin Ka Wang
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 below.