Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded a $511,402 Project Grant to Massachusetts General Hospital (The General Hospital Corporation) on February 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The award supports a five-year translational research initiative through January 31, 2031, to develop non-invasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (NVNS) as a novel therapeutic intervention for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The research addresses a critical clinical gap, as SAH carries approximately 40% mortality and 20% poor outcome rates, with current treatment options limited primarily to nimodipine and induced hypertension.

The project deliverables include preclinical research utilizing three complementary animal models of SAH to establish proof-of-concept for NVNS efficacy and advance mechanistic understanding of the intervention's neuroprotective properties. NVNS targets multiple pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in SAH, including vasospasm, microvascular dysfunction, inflammation, spreading depolarizations, and seizure activity. The research conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital facility in Charlestown, Massachusetts, is designed to build a translational foundation supporting clinical trial readiness for NVNS as a neuromodulatory therapy in SAH management, leveraging the technique's established safety profile and clinical approval for treating intractable epilepsy and depression.