Vitamin C to protect the brain after a traumatic brain injury
Ascorbate protects brain after TBI by epigenetic modulation of 5-hydroxymethylation
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP · NIH-11264779
This project is testing whether giving vitamin C after a traumatic brain injury can protect the brain and help adults recover.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MADISON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11264779 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are using a laboratory model of adult traumatic brain injury to see if vitamin C reduces later brain damage and improves movement and thinking. They will compare animals given vitamin C with those that are not to measure differences in motor and cognitive recovery. The team will also study chemical changes to DNA called 5-hydroxymethylation that may explain how vitamin C helps brain cells survive. Results are intended to guide whether vitamin C should be tested in future human trials for people with TBI.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future human trials would be adults who recently experienced an acute traumatic brain injury and are willing to join a clinical study.
Not a fit: People under 21 years old or those with long-standing chronic brain injury are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this early-stage preclinical work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the approach works, it could point to an affordable, widely available treatment to limit brain damage and improve recovery after TBI.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal studies, including the investigators' preliminary mouse work, have shown vitamin C can reduce secondary brain damage, but strong clinical evidence in people with TBI is still limited.
Where this research is happening
MADISON, UNITED STATES
- WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP — MADISON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VEMUGANTI, RAGHU — WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP
- Study coordinator: VEMUGANTI, RAGHU
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 below.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury