# VA-DoD Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium (LIMBIC)

> **NIH VA I01** · VA VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL · 2021 · —

## Abstract

The CENC (W81XWH-13-2-0095) has been a highly productive, coordinated, multicenter, basic
science-to-bedside, research collaboration led by VCU/VA researcher David Cifu, MD and jointly
funded since 2013 by the DoD and VA. CENC linked basic, translational, epidemiologic, and clinical
neuroscience researchers from the VA, military, academia, and private sector to effectively address
the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic ramifications of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and its
potential long-term effects. Experienced and proven researchers from the CENC comprise the
LIMBIC team at the level of Consortium Leadership, Core Facility, and Research Study Directors.
This proven team of leaders, infrastructure supporters and researchers will initiate targeted,
expanded research studies that extend CENC research findings, address all priorities (required and
secondary research elements) detailed in the program announcement, and will produce deliverables
for the clinicians in the field.
The four infrastructure Cores (Biomarkers, Neuroimaging, Data and Biostatistics, Clinical Studies) will
work in concert to accomplish three overarching, interrelated aims:
Aim 1. Transition and expand CENC to LIMBIC -- Enroll and expand sizes of relevant cohorts of
Veterans (Vs) and Servicemembers (SMs); expand data points collected; collect data in accordance
with established guidelines; and identify and describe key characteristics of populations to guide
rigorous studies on the nature and degree of mTBI late effects in combat Vs/SMs over time.
Aim 2. Comorbidities & Neurologic sequela -- Determine prevalence and associations of mTBI with
important comorbidities and neurologic sequela, such as dementia and neurodegenerative disease,
pain, psychological health including PTSD, and neurosensory deficits. Determine nature and degree
of mTBI late effects over time.
Aim 3. Phenotypes -- Identify characteristics (e.g., repetitive mTBI, deployment-only mTBI, frequent
low level blast or other subconconcussive head/brain impact exposure, baseline neurocognitive
deficits, presence of neurologic signs, presence of symptoms), pathophysiology, biomarkers, and
subpopulations (e.g., women) that serve as risk or protective factors for long-term outcomes such as
neurodegeneration, symptom burden and health economics.
LIMBIC will continue the mission begun by CENC, which has the Vs/SMs, and their family members
at the center of the work performed, to develop, deploy, and disseminate patient-centered health care
tools and strategies. Work conducted to-date has expanded knowledge in the areas of chronic pain,
sleep, sensory disorders, psychological health, and return to work. Knowledge translation underway
includes improving both care and systems of care to the population, translatable to both military and
the general public populations. We are poised to achieve LIMBIC's intent to “improve acute TBI care
and subsequent support systems for chronic care following mTBI”.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10002386
- **Project number:** 1I01CX002097-01
- **Recipient organization:** VA VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID X. CIFU
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2019-10-01 → 2025-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10002386

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10002386, VA-DoD Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium (LIMBIC) (1I01CX002097-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10002386. Licensed CC0.

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