The relationship between biological aging and recovery after severe brain injuries
Official title: Epigenetic Age and Patient Outcomes after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11166657 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the aging of your DNA might affect how well you recover after a serious brain injury, and it’s for patients who have gone through that experience, helping to find ways to predict recovery based on both biological and social factors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $735,244 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG082734-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166657 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include adults who have suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and are undergoing recovery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with mild brain injuries or those who do not have access to cerebrospinal fluid sampling may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how biological aging, as measured by epigenetic changes in DNA, affects recovery outcomes for patients who have experienced severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI). By analyzing cerebrospinal fluid samples, the study aims to understand the impact of accelerated biological aging on recovery and the potential role of specific biomarkers in predicting patient outcomes. The research also explores how social factors may influence biological aging in these patients, providing a comprehensive view of recovery dynamics post-injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved recovery strategies and personalized treatment plans for patients recovering from severe traumatic brain injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in using epigenetic markers to predict health outcomes, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conley, Yvette P — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Conley, Yvette P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
AI-enhanced virtual reality tool to support remote emergency brain surgery training in Tanzania
A new AI-powered virtual reality tool helps non-experts in low-resource areas get real-time remote guidance for emergency traumatic brain injury surgery.
-
How head injury affects the heart and blood vessels
This project aims to find out whether traumatic brain injuries make people more likely to develop hardened arteries and heart problems, especially among veterans.
-
Neural targets for improving function in Veterans with alcohol use disorder and mild brain injury
This project tests a targeted brain-stimulation approach to help Veterans who have both alcohol use problems and mild traumatic brain injury improve daily functioning.
-
How head injuries affect the heart and blood vessels
This project is looking at whether past traumatic brain injuries cause changes in blood vessels and raise the risk of heart disease for people who have had head injuries.
-
Keeping oxygen in the injured brain after severe head trauma
This project uses a small brain oxygen monitor to guide ICU care for people with severe traumatic brain injury in hopes of improving recovery.
-
How head injuries affect Parkinson's over time
Researchers will follow people with Parkinson's disease to learn how past mild-to-moderate head injuries relate to thinking, mood, movement, brain changes, and quality of life.
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.