Sleep problems after concussion and links to Alzheimer's and CTE
Official title: Defining the Role of Post-TBI Sleep Disruption in the Development of CTE and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Neuropathology
Funded at Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res · NIH-10795750 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether sleep problems after a concussion lead to Alzheimer’s-related brain changes in people who had mild traumatic brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,253,356 |
| NIH project number | 4R01NS128966-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10795750 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who have had a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion—often Veterans—and who have persistent sleep problems, especially those middle-aged or older.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of concussion, those with severe (not mild) traumatic brain injury, or those without sleep disruption are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific project.
What this research studies
You would be asked about your concussion history and sleep symptoms, get brain MRI scans that look at fluid-filled spaces involved in brain clearance, and may provide a small CSF sample (spinal tap) to measure Alzheimer-related proteins like Aβ42. The study compares people with and without ongoing sleep disruption after mild TBI, including Veterans and older adults. Researchers will use imaging markers of the glymphatic system to see if poor sleep after TBI reduces clearance of proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and CTE. Study visits include baseline testing and follow-up over time at the Seattle research site.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk after concussion and point to sleep-targeted approaches to lower the chance of Alzheimer’s or CTE-related brain changes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and clinical studies suggest sleep helps clear Alzheimer proteins and early human data link post-TBI sleep problems to Alzheimer-type CSF changes, but the causal pathway after mTBI remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peskind, Elaine R. — Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
- Study coordinator: Peskind, Elaine R.
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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.