Understanding Brain Changes After Childhood Head Injury and Addiction Risk
Official title: Neurobehavioral consequences of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and addiction risk: a cotwin-control study
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11141893 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how mild head injuries in childhood might affect brain development and increase the chance of addiction later on.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $695,967 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058114-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141893 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adolescents aged 12-20 who have experienced a mild traumatic brain injury in childhood or adolescence, especially those with a twin.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced a mild traumatic brain injury or are outside the specified age range may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
We want to learn more about the long-term effects of mild head injuries that happen during childhood or adolescence. These injuries can occur when the brain is still developing, and we suspect they might lead to changes in behavior and a higher risk for addiction. Our approach uses a special design comparing twins, where one twin had a mild head injury and the other did not, to better understand these connections. We will follow participants over time and use advanced brain imaging and behavioral tests to see how the brain changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help us better understand and prevent addiction in young people who have experienced mild head injuries.
How similar studies have gone: While previous studies have explored this area, this project uses a unique and rigorous twin-control design to overcome significant methodological challenges.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anokhin, Andrey P. — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Anokhin, Andrey P.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Neurobehavioral effects of childhood brain injuries and addiction risk in twins
This grant studies how mild traumatic brain injury in childhood might influence behavior and the chance of developing addictive behaviors later in life, using twins to understand what’s due to injury versus other factors.
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Effects of mild traumatic brain injury on behavior and addiction risk in adolescents
This study is looking at how mild traumatic brain injuries (like concussions) can affect kids and teens over time, especially in relation to the risk of developing addiction, and it’s designed for families with twins to help us understand these effects better.
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Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A High-Tech Look Inside the Brain with Diffusion MRI
Researchers are using advanced brain imaging to find biological clues in people who have mild traumatic brain injuries.
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How neuromodulation may help headaches after a mild brain injury
A small study tests whether stimulating the brain with a noninvasive technique can lessen persistent headaches in people who recently had a concussion.
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New ways to treat chronic pain after mild brain injuries
A research team is studying why some people develop long-lasting pain after a mild head injury and how brain inflammation contributes to it.
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Retraining brain pathways to boost thinking after a mild head injury
A clinical trial tests a brain-training program to improve thinking and memory in people who have had a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
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.