Total Brain Diagnostics: How symptoms and function connect to mental health after traumatic brain injury
Official title: Total Brain Diagnostics (TBD): Analyzing the Impact of Functional Symptom and Clinical Measures on Co-Morbid Mental Health Conditions after TBI
Funded at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System · NIH-11423360 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at symptom reports and brain-function tests in Veterans with mild traumatic brain injury to better understand and help treat PTSD and other mental health problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004911-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423360 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury—particularly from OEF/OIF/OND—who are receiving VA care and have or may have PTSD or other mental health symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of traumatic brain injury, non-Veterans not receiving VA care, or those with unrelated medical conditions may not benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
You would be part of a project combining medical records and brain-function measurements like EEG, computerized balance testing, and eye tracking. The team merges existing VA data on symptoms and clinical outcomes for Veterans who had mTBI and uses advanced computer analyses to find patterns linking physical signs to PTSD and other psychiatric issues. The goal is to help doctors tell mTBI symptoms apart from mental health problems and to guide more personalized care. The work focuses on Veterans from recent conflicts who receive care in the VA system and aims to reduce risks such as suicidal behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to clearer diagnoses and more personalized treatments for mental health problems after mTBI, potentially lowering symptoms and suicide risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work combining clinical measures with biosignals like EEG and eye tracking is promising but still emerging, so this project builds on early successes rather than established treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brenner, Lisa a — VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Brenner, Lisa a
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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.