July 2015
5 Grants/$182,200 Awarded
Detection, refinement, and use of subcortical nuclei frequency patterns in automatic localization algorithms during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery
Amount: $50,000
Primary Investigator: Kevin Biddell, PhD, George Mandybur, MD
Category: Parkinson's Disease
To develop unique frequency signatures for subcortical structures based on microelectrode signals recorded during deep brain stimulation surgery; and determine characteristic differences of signatures between more and/or less diseased sides of the brain. This is a continuation of previously MERF-funded work. Knowing the unique characteristic frequency signatures of both healthy and diseased subcortical structures can improve efficiency and accuracy of probe placement, thereby improving patient outcomes, decreasing collateral damage, and reducing costs of extended surgical procedures.
Hypothermia for Patients Requiring Evacuation of Subdural Hematoma (HOPES): a multi-center, randomized clinical trial
Amount: $50,000
Primary Investigator: Norberto Andaluz, MD
Category: Traumatic Brain Injury
Supplemental funding to cover the significant start-up effort and marketing cost that will be associated with the department's first EFIC (exemption from informed consent) study as well as cost of screening patients in ER for study eligibility. The HOPES study is sponsored by the Vivian Smith Foundation, associated with UT Health.).
Autoregulatory Failure after Severe Brain Injury: Impact on Mortality
Amount: $34,100
Primary Investigator: Brandon Foreman, MD
Category: Traumatic Brain Injury
Collection of observational physiologic and clinical data on patients with severe brain injury requiring intracranial pressure monitoring, with the goal of determining association of autoregulatory disturbance and in-hospital mortality and further characterizing the peak duration of autoregulatory failure after stimulation during routine neuro exam.
Cadaveric Comparison of Optic Canal Decompression via a Transcranial versus an Endoscopic Endonasal Approach
Amount: $18,100
Primary Investigator: Steven Gogela, MD
Category: Skull Base Surgery
To delineate the degree of optic canal decompression that can be obtained via an open transcranial approach, an endoscopic endonasal approach, and a combination of the two. Prior studies have described the potential decompression that can be obtained from an endoscopic endonasal approach. However, there is ongoing controversy as to whether endoscopic decompression is equally effective or comparable to transcranial procedures for optic neuropathy.
Visiting Professorships
Amount: $10,000
Primary Investigator: Mario Zuccarello, MD
Category: Education
Digitization of collection of noteworthy lectures of the past created and stored only via slides
July 2015
3 grants / $104,608 Awarded
Traumatic Brain Injury and Spreading Depolarization in a Porcine Model
Amount: $50,000
Primary Investigator: Jed Hartings, PhD, Jonathan York, MD
Category: Traumatic Brain Injury
The goals of this project are to: 1) develop a novel model of severe traumatic brain injury in juvenile swine that causes repetitive spontaneous episodes of cortical spreading depolarizations (SD), thus mimicking human TBI, and 2) determine whether ketamine infusion inhibits spontaneous SDs and reduces contusion volumes. Currently, there is no widely accepted animal model of severe traumatic brain injury, and no TBI animal model generates SDs as observed in human TBI. A porcine animal model is critical for further SD characterization and could lead to the advancement of therapeutic interventions with immense clinical implications.
Spreading Depolarizations: An Early and Specific Indicator of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients
Amount: $47,608
Primary Investigator: Jason Hinzman, PhD
Category: Traumatic Brain Injury
To determine if spreading depolarizations are an early/specific indicator of delayed cerebral ischemia using advanced neuromonitoring of brain activity (electrocortigraphy and scalp-EEG) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients requiring open surgery or intracranial pressure monitoring. Delayed cerebral ischemia is the single most important cause of morbidity and mortality in SAH patients, especially in poor-grade patients where silent infarction occurs. We hope to identify a unique electrophysiological biosignature of delayed cerebral ischemia with high sensitivity and specificity. Completion of this study will provide preliminary data for submission of an NIH grant for expansion of these studies.
Predictors of Radiographic and Clinical Progression in Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and the Utility of Routine Surveillance Imaging with Head Computed Tomography
Amount: $7,000
Primary Investigator: Smurti Patel, MD
Category: Traumatic Brain Injury
To develop a retrospective database of pediatric patients who presented to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center with mild traumatic brain injuries from 2009-2014. The database will subsequently be used to identify specific patient, injury, and imaging-related factors that may help provide a framework for the clinical management of these patients. In addition, we plan to evaluate the need for routine surveillance imaging with computed tomography of the head and the efficacy of an existing standardized protocol.