# Role of fatty acid oxidation after pediatric head injury

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $358,203

## Abstract

Project Summary
Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a “silent epidemic” affecting over 500,000 children each year. Metabolic
crisis due to impaired oxidative glucose metabolism is a hallmark of TBI. Metabolism is indispensable for
proper brain development and function, however, metabolic demands superimposed by trauma during these
crucial periods of brain development result in secondary injury and further impaired neurological function.
Emergent evidence and our preliminary data show that brain is capable of oxidizing fatty acids via
mitochondrial β-oxidation and this process is developmentally regulated. Our preliminary data show, that while
brain glucose metabolism is decreased following TBI, fatty acid oxidation is increased in the injured brain. Our
hypothesis is that pharmacological or genetic up-regulation of brain's fatty acids oxidation is a critical metabolic
and neuroprotective target, which can support brain energy and metabolism during metabolic crisis. Using
pediatric model of severe brain injury, we aim to test this hypothesis and determine the extent to which fatty
acid oxidation may support oxidative metabolism after TBI. Therefore, we propose to: 1) quantify brain
temporal and regional abilities to oxidize fatty acid after TBI; 2) determine that pharmacological or genetic
increase of fatty acid oxidation will result in improved bioenergetics after TBI; 3) establish that improved
neurological function and decreased extent of injury are due to increased metabolic support via increased fatty
acid oxidation. To address this important, but still unanswered question, we will use multi-disciplinary approach
and combine biochemical, genetic, behavioral and histological techniques. The aim of this research to decipher
brain's innate attempts to meet metabolic demands after the injury and pharmacologically amplify them
towards meaningful improvement of neurological recovery and activities of daily life.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9853856
- **Project number:** 5R01NS110808-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Susanna Scafidi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $358,203
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-03-01 → 2024-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9853856

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9853856, Role of fatty acid oxidation after pediatric head injury (5R01NS110808-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9853856. Licensed CC0.

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