The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) at Cayey has received a $621,000 federal grant to investigate why headaches can persist after mild, repetitive traumatic brain injuries. The research aims to identify the causes of these headaches and explore new ways to prevent and treat them, with the goal of improving the quality of life of people who suffer from them.
The funds, awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, will finance a four-year study led by Dr. Laura Vicente Rodríguez, a UPR-Cayey researcher. In a press release, Vicente Rodríguez explained on Tuesday that, together with a group of researchers and students at UPR-Cayey, she will study how inflammation affects the functioning of the brain areas that regulate pain.
As part of the project, they will evaluate the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an immune system component involved in inflammatory processes, to determine whether blocking its activity could help prevent or reverse the changes that cause pain to become chronic. She added that the findings could contribute to new strategies to prevent and treat chronic headache associated with traumatic brain injuries.
UPR-Cayey chancellor Dr. Rochellie Martínez Vivas said the grant strengthens the institution’s capacity to carry out scientific research on health problems and offer students new training opportunities. UPR president Dr. Zayira Jordán Conde said the grant reflects the strategic role of research within the university’s mission and its capacity to generate knowledge with concrete applications.