Mind Your Brain is proud to collaborate on research studies as “Community Partners,” where the invaluable insights of TBI survivors with lived experience significantly enhance the relevance and impact of the work. These collaborations are crucial for identifying real-world issues and unanswered questions, ensuring that research is precisely tailored to community needs and cultural values. This participatory approach ultimately leads to more effective and accessible studies, improving participant recruitment and retention, especially among populations historically underrepresented in research.
Lived-Experience Panel for TRANSFORM-TBI
This grant will support new initiative called Transdisciplinary Research Accelerating Neuropathology Studies and Facilitating Open Research Methods in TBI(TRANSFORM-TBI). In addition to expanding the tissue and imaging archives from the first phase, TRANSFORM-TBI will use samples to investigate why any TBI increases the risk of ADRD, even though brain injuries can vary widely from person to person. Researchers also aim to identify any factors that might increase the risk for developing ADRD.
The team of 26 investigators across 12 sites aims to uncover the type and extent of neuropathological changes that emerge after TBI.
The Sildenafil Study
This project is looking at how a common injury from a blow to the head, called Traumatic Cerebrovascular Injury (TCVI), damages the tiny blood vessels in the brain. Think of your brain’s blood vessels like water pipes; if they get damaged, your brain doesn’t get the “water” (blood) it needs to work well. Researchers are testing a medicine called Sildenafil (you might have heard of it as Viagra, but here it’s used for brain repair!) because it helps these damaged blood vessels open up and work better. They will give different small doses of this medicine to people who had a TBI a while ago, using special brain scans to see which dose makes the blood vessels the healthiest, and if taking the medicine for four weeks helps improve their symptoms and recovery. If you would like to participate in this trial please see the flyer …