Thiamine for Recovery After Early-Life Infections in Adults?
Official title: THiamine for Recovery In Vulnerable Early-life infections (THRIVE)
Funded at Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11431916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study will test whether adding thiamine to standard antibiotic treatment helps improve brain-related outcomes in infants with serious bacterial infections who are hospitalized.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $662,474 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD122957-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11431916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are hospitalized infants with invasive bacterial infections, with or without meningitis, whose caregivers consent to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Some infants may not experience a measurable neurodevelopmental benefit from thiamine supplementation.
What this research studies
This project looks at whether giving thiamine alongside antibiotics to infants with invasive bacterial infections can support better neurodevelopment as they grow. Researchers will measure thiamine levels in blood and cerebrospinal fluid and compare outcomes before and after treatment. Infected infants will be randomized to receive either usual antibiotic care or antibiotics plus additional thiamine, with neurodevelopment assessed around 18 months of age. The study is conducted at Pennsylvania State University Hershey Medical Center and involves hospitalized young children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, thiamine supplementation could become a simple, affordable way to improve long-term brain health after serious early-life infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests thiamine may influence brain recovery after infection, but this specific randomized approach in infants is novel.
Where this research is happening
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Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
Hershey, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ericson, Jessica E — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Ericson, Jessica E
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.