# Functional Connectivity, Brain Development, and Outcomes in Chiari Type I Malformation

> **NIH NIH P01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $160,426

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Project 2: Functional Connectivity, Brain Development, and Outcomes in Chiari Type I Malformation
Abstract
 Chiari malformation (CM) is a challenging disease. Despite its anatomically well-defined pathology
characterized by herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum, its clinical symptoms and
indications for surgical intervention are highly variable. Here we propose advanced neuroimaging with
personalized connectomics acquired longitudinally, in both surgical (pre/post posterior fossa decompression)
and non-surgical CM patients, to identify imaging markers for better disease characterization and outcome
prediction. We are using resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure
resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) and fractional anisotropy (FA), respectively. We are leveraging the
protocols of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (n = 11,874), to facilitate direct
comparisons to age and demographic matched control subjects from the ABCD data set, for both imaging and
cognitive/emotional metrics. In addition, we are collecting Chiari Severity Index (CSI) and Chiari Health Index in
Pediatrics (CHIP) data, both of which have been developed and validated by our team specifically for CM. The
longitudinal arm of this project includes an adult CM cohort, which will expand the number of participants for
greater power, and allow us to test developmental CM effects in the pediatric cohort. The imaging and cognitive
measures will be compared at baseline before any intervention. Then within-participant comparisons will be
made before and after posterior fossa decompression (PFD) surgery to identify novel imaging markers predictive
of disease outcomes and response to surgery.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10876276
- **Project number:** 5P01NS131131-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jarod Roland
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $160,426
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10876276

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10876276, Functional Connectivity, Brain Development, and Outcomes in Chiari Type I Malformation (5P01NS131131-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10876276. Licensed CC0.

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