Why children with tuberculous meningitis develop brain ischemia
Understanding ischemia in children with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba)
Researchers will collect brain scans, blood, and spinal fluid from children with tuberculous meningitis to learn what triggers strokes and long-term disability.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stellenbosch University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136861 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my child takes part, doctors will enroll about 80 children with probable or confirmed tuberculous meningitis and collect blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Each child will have detailed brain MRIs and an FDG PET/CT at the start, repeat MRI and more samples at two weeks, another MRI at 24 weeks, and a neurodevelopment check at 48 weeks. The team will compare imaging, clinical course, and lab markers (including proteomics and gene expression) to see what patterns link to infarction and poor outcome. Study visits will happen at the recruiting hospital in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and results aim to connect biological signals to brain injury in TBM.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children (infants through about 11 years) with probable or confirmed tuberculous meningitis are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Children without tuberculous meningitis, adults, or people unable to attend hospital follow-up are not eligible and would not directly benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify imaging and biological markers that predict or explain brain infarcts in childhood TB meningitis and point to ways to prevent disability.
How similar studies have performed: The team has prior clinical research in pediatric TBM, but combining advanced imaging with proteomics and transcriptomics to explain infarction is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA
- Stellenbosch University — Stellenbosch, South Africa (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seddon, James Alexander — Stellenbosch University
- Study coordinator: Seddon, James Alexander
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.