SV2A PET imaging to track spinal cord injury recovery
Official title: SV2A PET in Spinal Cord Injury Imaging
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11367344 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing a special brain/spinal cord scan called SV2A PET to see how spinal cord injuries change over time in people, using a new tracer to map nerve connections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $655,332 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS123183-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367344 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with recent or past traumatic spinal cord injury who can undergo PET imaging and meet safety criteria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without spinal cord injury or those unable to undergo PET imaging may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses a newly developed SV2A PET tracer to visualize synapse changes in the spinal cord after a traumatic injury. It aims to quantify synaptic density and neuroplasticity along the disease course, potentially informing diagnosis and prognosis. The study builds on prior animal and early human data to translate SV2A PET imaging for SCI into clinical understanding and future treatment evaluation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help doctors monitor spinal cord recovery more precisely and guide therapeutic decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier work has shown SV2A PET can reflect synapse density in various conditions, supporting potential utility in SCI.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cai, Zhengxin — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Cai, Zhengxin
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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.