$2 Million Awarded to Casa Colina Research Institute and Collaborators to Study New Treatment for Patients With Severe Brain Injury

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded the Casa Colina Research Institute (CCRI) and key partners a four-year, $2 million grant to study the use of a new neurorestoration technique to treat individuals with severe brain injury.

Acquired brain trauma is the second most prevalent disability in the U.S., estimated to affect 13.5 million. It is not only devastating for patients and their loved ones, but also affects caretakers and imposes extremely high costs on society, estimated at $76.5 billion annually. Some patients survive their acute brain injury but remain in potentially lifelong Disorders of Consciousness (DOCs) such as coma, vegetative state, or minimally conscious state. Unfortunately, there exists a crucial lack of treatment to improve recovery in this patient population.

Led by Caroline Schnakers, PhD, Assistant Director of Research, CCRI researchers are pioneering an experimental intervention for severe brain injury that requires no surgery and can be done at the bedside: Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation. The study explores the degree to which sonic stimulation can modulate brain function and enhance recovery of consciousness in DOC patients. The project is a multi-institutional collaboration between CCRI, UCLA, Harvard/Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, and Mass General Hospital as key partners.

“The overall goal of our research is to positively impact the treatment of patients surviving moderate or severe brain injuries,” says Schnakers, the project’s principal investigator. “We hope this can serve as a steppingstone for the development of a neurorestorative intervention that can be used in both civilian and military hospitals and, eventually, in the acute care and long-term care settings.”

To learn more about research studies taking place at Casa Colina, visit casacolina.org/research.

About Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare
Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare is a nonprofit provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care for people of all ages with disabling conditions resulting from accidents, disease, or illness. Its continuum of care includes medical-surgical and intensive care, acute rehabilitation, residential rehabilitation, and long-term residential care. Outpatient services include orthopedic and neurologic rehabilitation, physician clinics with nearly 30 medical specialties, children’s services, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, audiology, and day treatment. Casa Colina is also home to a research institute, adaptive recreation and wheelchair sports program, and several residency programs. Located in Pomona, with satellite outpatient services in nearby Azusa, Casa Colina has proudly served the Southern California community and beyond for more than 85 years. Visit www.casacolina.org to learn more.