Targeting synapse turnover to boost stroke recovery
Official title: Targeting synapse turnover to enhance stroke rehabilitation
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11368400 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to find ways to shape brain rewiring after stroke by guiding how synapses grow, with the goal of helping adults recover upper-limb function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | June 13, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $393,284 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS144898-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11368400 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with a history of stroke-related upper limb impairment, as studied in preclinical models; human translation would target individuals in rehabilitation settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without stroke-related motor impairment or those outside the rehabilitation window may not benefit.
What this research studies
After a stroke, the brain tries to rewire itself, and this project looks at how behavioral experiences interact with the growth of new brain connections. Using a mouse model of motor rehabilitation, researchers will study the timing and pattern of synaptic changes in relation to therapy. The team will examine how pro-growth signals and activity-dependent remodeling influence recovery and try to identify windows where behavioral interventions may be most effective. This work combines neuroscience with rehabilitative training to understand how to optimize functional outcomes after stroke.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could inform more effective rehabilitation strategies that leverage brain plasticity to improve motor recovery after stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that activity-driven synaptic remodeling can influence recovery, but optimal timing and mechanisms remain to be clarified, making this a promising but exploratory step.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jones, Theresa a — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Jones, Theresa a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how vagus nerve stimulation helps stroke recovery to guide better treatments
This NIH grant uses computer models to figure out how brief, task-timed vagus nerve stimulation affects the brain after stroke and helps movement recovery.
-
Calcium imaging guides deep brain stimulation to boost chronic stroke recovery in a rat model
A research team is testing how customizing deep brain stimulation parameters in rats with stroke can improve long-term motor recovery, with the goal of guiding future patient treatments.
-
Wearable EMG-FES System to Help Stroke Recovery and Find Biological Markers
A wearable sleeve that uses your own muscle signals to help arm movement after stroke, while researchers look for biological clues that track recovery.
-
Noradrenergic VNS to boost stroke rehab outcomes
A patient-oriented look at a therapy that combines brief vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehab to help people recover arm movement after a stroke.
-
How rehab changes the brain after stroke
This project will look at how rehabilitation training changes brain activity and connections after stroke to help people regain movement.
-
Prism adaptation for right-brain stroke rehabilitation
A personalized approach using prism adaptation to help people with spatial neglect after a right-hemisphere stroke improve everyday functioning.
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.