United Cerebral Palsy announced three research grants worth $20,000 each on September 30. The organization also noted that the United States has no coordinated federal research program for cerebral palsy. The awards will support projects on inclusive healthcare education, a potential therapy for newborns at risk of cerebral palsy, and delays in providing early intervention to children identified as high risk.
More than 1 million Americans and their families live with cerebral palsy, according to the announcement. It describes the condition as the most common lifelong motor disability in childhood, affecting about 1 in 345 children in the United States. UCP said the funded research tackles needs ranging from the biological causes of neurological injury to barriers to timely treatment and the preparation of future healthcare providers.
Three projects, three care gaps
The project “Changing Perspectives: Preparing Healthcare Professionals to Provide Inclusive Care for Individuals with Disabilities” will examine whether disability-focused, experiential training helps future providers deliver accessible, person-centered care. Principal Investigator Elizabeth Stewart, Ph.D., ATP, of United Ability in Birmingham, Alabama, will study a program that includes direct interaction with people with disabilities and caregivers, as well as hands-on exposure to assistive technology. The study aims to improve providers’ confidence, communication skills and understanding of disability-inclusive healthcare.
A second grant will fund “The Brain-Body Axis as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Potentially Translatable Approach to Reduce Neurologic Impairments.” Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE, is brain injury caused by insufficient oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth, and it is a leading cause of cerebral palsy. Principal Investigator Rafael Galindo, MD, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, will use a neonatal mouse model to test whether stimulating the brain-body axis through the vagus nerve can reduce inflammation and brain injury. The work may inform therapies designed to improve long-term motor and cognitive outcomes for infants at risk.
The third project will link hospital records with early intervention data to identify delays between recognizing cerebral palsy risk and beginning treatment. Principal Investigator Jessica Trenkle, PT, DPT, PCS, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, will lead the project. Many infants identified as high risk don’t promptly receive early intervention services after leaving the NICU, the announcement says, despite the chance early identification creates to treat them during a critical period of brain development. Researchers plan to develop strategies that can scale and promote equity, helping children receive therapy as early as possible.
Funding and oversight
The UCP Research Council selected the awardees after reviewing applications. Its members include medical professionals, clinician-researchers, parents of individuals with disabilities, individuals with disabilities, UCP Affiliate leaders and community-based advocates.
Since the grant program launched in 2022, UCP has funded 16 research projects and committed $284,000 to research and innovation in cerebral palsy and related neurodevelopmental disabilities. Five grants have gone to UCP Affiliates. The organization said this demonstrates its Affiliate Network’s contribution to community services and care.
Co-Chair Mark Gormley, Jr., MD, a specialist in pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation at Gillette Children’s, said the projects address challenges “from understanding the biological pathways that can lead to cerebral palsy, to ensuring children receive timely intervention, to preparing healthcare professionals to provide truly inclusive care.” He said UCP is investing in research that can turn knowledge into “better care, better experiences, and better outcomes for individuals and families.”
A research gap before World Cerebral Palsy Day
Valerie Pieraccini, co-chair of UCP’s Research Council and vice president of education and innovation at the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, said important questions remain underfunded and underexplored. “UCP’s Research Grant Program creates an opportunity to support innovative research that might otherwise struggle to move forward, while helping translate new knowledge into approaches that can ultimately improve diagnosis, treatment, care, and quality of life for people with cerebral palsy and their families,” she said.
World Cerebral Palsy Day approaches on October 6. Founded in 1949, UCP said its network of affiliate organizations across North America provides services to thousands of children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Those services include early intervention, therapies, advocacy, job coaching, integrated employment, housing assistance and recreational opportunities. UCP said its vision is that people with disabilities be treated as equal members of an inclusive society.