Understanding Brain Swelling and Activity After Traumatic Brain Injury
Official title: The dynamic balance between neuronal volume and chloride handling in network excitability after traumatic brain injury
Funded at Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr · NIH-11166474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how brain swelling affects brain cell activity after a head injury, aiming to find better ways to help patients recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $365,108 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS123162-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have experienced a traumatic brain injury and suffer from brain swelling or related neurological issues could potentially benefit from future treatments developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a traumatic brain injury or those whose brain swelling is due to other causes may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leads to brain swelling, which is a major cause of serious problems and even death. Current treatments for this swelling have not been as successful as we hoped, partly because we don't fully understand how it works. This project looks closely at how brain cells swell after a TBI and how this swelling changes the way brain cells communicate. We are particularly interested in how these changes affect brain activity after both mild and severe injuries. By understanding these fundamental processes, we hope to uncover new targets for treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and more effective treatments for brain swelling and related issues after traumatic brain injury, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While current treatments for TBI-related brain swelling have limited success, this project builds on recent unexpected findings about the link between neuronal swelling and brain cell activity, suggesting a novel direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pokam, Punam Adhik — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Pokam, Punam Adhik
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding and improving reactive balance after mild traumatic brain injury
This grant tests how people recover their balance after a mild brain injury and how targeted training could help prevent falls.
-
Aging after traumatic brain injury — balance and fall risk
This work checks whether adults who had a moderate traumatic brain injury at least 15 years ago have more balance problems and higher fall risk as they age.
-
Using balance training to wake up cerebellum circuits and help thinking after mild head injury
This project uses balance training in a mouse model of mild traumatic brain injury to change cerebellum circuits with the goal of improving thinking and balance for people with TBI.
-
Understanding how brain swelling affects nerve cell activity after brain injury
This study is looking at how brain swelling after a head injury affects brain activity, with the hope of finding new ways to help people recover from traumatic brain injuries, whether they are mild or severe.
-
Improving cognitive and balance functions through targeted training in a mouse model of brain injury
This study is looking at how balance training might help improve thinking skills and recovery in mice with mild brain injuries, which could lead to new treatments for veterans and others who have experienced similar injuries.
-
How traumatic brain injuries affect aging and balance in older adults
This study is looking at how brain injuries from earlier in life might affect your balance and thinking skills as you get older, even if you feel like you've fully recovered, and it's for people who have had a traumatic brain injury and want to understand how it could impact their health in the future.
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.