# A nonpharmacological therapeutic intervention of TBI-induced facial allodynia/hyperalgesias in a rodent model

> **NIH VA I21** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2023 · —

## Abstract

The lack of understanding of the fundamental neurobiology that underlies the development and persistence
of post-traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced acute and chronic pain is currently unknown, further limiting our ability
to develop appropriate treatments. Electro-acupuncture (EA) is a healing modality that has been in use for years.
It's modes of action, however, are largely unknown, although there is increasing evidence that brain and spinal
cord are primarily involved in the processing of acupuncture stimuli. The analgesic effects of acupuncture are
well documented. In addition, acupuncture's powerful ability to modulate systemic inflammation during acute and
chronic events has recently been documented in multiple disease conditions. However, there is not enough
preclinical data using the procedure to initiate a clinical trial for TBI. The main objective of this proposal is to test
the dose-dependent effectiveness and mechanism of action of EA treatment to alleviate pain/headache-like
behavior in a clinically relevant rodent model of closed head traumatic brain injury (CH-TBI). This model closely
resembles blunt trauma head injury seen in human injury situations involving head impact from automobile
crashes, sports, and from blast injury received in battlefield situations. This CH-TBI rodent model exhibited
comprehensive evidence of progressive and enduring orofacial and somatic pain/headache-like symptoms
induced by non-painful stimulation. These pain/headache-like symptoms correlated with changes in several
known pain signaling receptors and molecules along the trigeminal and spinothalamic neuronal pain pathways.
Since post-TBI induced chronic pain and headache are major health issue in both military and civilian personnel,
preclinical research aiming at the exploration of underlying neurobiology, and targeted therapy is vital. Therefore,
the objective of two mechanism driven Specific Aims in this proposal is to enhance our understanding of the
neurobiology of EA therapy-influenced changes in TBI-induced pain/headache-like behaviors tested as facial
and somatic hyperalgesia/allodynia. Our recent studies using a mild CH impact acceleration TBI model in adult
Sprague Dawley rats revealed significant and enduring trigeminal and plantar hyperalgesia using a state of the
art operant orofacial and paw pain reward/conflict testing paradigm. Specific Aim 1 will evaluate the therapeutic
potential of EA therapy on the progression of TBI-induced orofacial and paw allodynia/hyperalgesias at acute
(immediate after TBI) and chronic (2 months) time points after TBI using 2 different durations (2-week vs. 4-
week) of EA therapy. Specific Aim 2 will address TBI and therapy-induced changes in mechanisms of pain
signaling in trigeminal and somatic pain pathways; these studies will quantitate of changes in a comprehensive
array of MRI-based biomarkers, molecules, and receptors related to pain signaling and inflammation in the
trigeminal and somatic pain pathw...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10611481
- **Project number:** 5I21RX004097-02
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** JIAMEI HOU
- **Activity code:** I21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10611481

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10611481, A nonpharmacological therapeutic intervention of TBI-induced facial allodynia/hyperalgesias in a rodent model (5I21RX004097-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10611481. Licensed CC0.

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