Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded a Project Grant of $228,641 to the University of Maryland, Baltimore on June 16, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program. This research initiative will develop automated tools and objective diagnostic measures to detect, monitor, and modulate Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity (PSH)—a severe neurological complication affecting up to 40% of critically ill traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The project combines neuroimaging analysis and physiologic data analytics to identify structural brain injury patterns associated with PSH risk while establishing an objective physiologic index to replace current subjective assessment methods that lack clinical reliability.

The research deliverables will focus on developing and validating goal-directed Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (TAVNS) neuromodulation therapy as a non-invasive, evidence-based treatment option for post-TBI PSH. By investigating the relationship between frontal-limbic structural damage within the central autonomic network and sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance, the project aims to create mechanistically-guided therapeutic interventions with improved safety profiles and reduced adverse effects compared to current medication-based management approaches. The award will support research activities through May 31, 2031, at the Baltimore, Maryland campus.