# Neural reorganization in divergent TBI recovery responses

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 2022 · $390,500

## Abstract

Project Summary
Children are one of the most vulnerable populations affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) with many
experiencing chronic functional deficits. One of the major challenges associated with treating and predicting
patient prognosis is the variability in functional outcomes despite similar diagnosis in TBI type and severity
between patients. For example, after moderate to severe TBI, some patients experience lifelong motor function
deficits while others with comparable TBI pathologies achieve full recovery. These major differences observed
in TBI patient recovery may be due to varying levels of neural plasticity or reorganization potential of functional
networks. It is anticipated that patients whose brains have an increased ability to undergo network reorganization
would show increased TBI functional recovery. In this study, we will utilize resting state and task based functional
magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate two neural network reorganization mechanisms, network compensation
and network reallocation, to determine the role each could potentially play in a piglet TBI model that displays low
and high motor function recovery similar to humans. We hypothesize that TBI piglets that show high motor
function recovery will demonstrate a greater degree of network reorganization and that reorganization
will shift from compensation to reallocation with increasing injury severity. The contribution of this work is
highly significant and innovative as successful completion of this project will advance the limited understanding
of neural network reorganization and its relationship to low and high motor function recovery. This new
knowledge can be used to develop therapies that are capable of modulating neuroplasticity in a manner that
leads to improved patient recovery. This work has broad implications for neural injury related fields as neural
reorganization concepts and principles developed in this study are likely to translate to other neurological
conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10585265
- **Project number:** 1R21NS123732-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Franklin D West
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $390,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10585265

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10585265, Neural reorganization in divergent TBI recovery responses (1R21NS123732-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10585265. Licensed CC0.

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