Welcome to the 2026 August Research Institute Newsletter. Delivering you recent updates about non-invasive brain stimulation, early intervention, cord blood treatment and more!
This newsletter consists of short summaries of completed research led by the CPA Research Institute, our colleagues, international highlights, and information about CPA Research Institute studies which are currently recruiting.
Please see the glossary located at the bottom with definitions for bolded keywords used within summaries. Keywords in summaries will only be bolded the first time they are used.
If you have any suggestions/feedback for this newsletter or questions for the researchers, please contact us here.
Authors: Alexandra Griffin, Michael C Fahey, Remy Blatch-Williams, Megan Finch-Edmondson, Manoj Kanhangad, Iona Novak, Maria Mc Namara, Madison Cb Paton, Annabel Webb, Bernadette T Gillick
This study tested whether a type of non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could be safely delivered to children with cerebral palsy (CP) at home under remote supervision. Nine children with CP completed five online-supported sessions, with caregivers helping to set up the equipment. No serious safety concerns were identified. Mild tingling or itchiness on the scalp were the most common sensations experienced during stimulation. However, these were temporary as they stopped when the device was turned off. tDCS was well tolerated and wearing the headgear was mostly found to be comfortable. Caregivers reported that the equipment was easy to set up and became faster over time. These findings suggest that remotely supervised tDCS is safe, well tolerated, and practical for families, supporting the demand for more accessible treatments and future studies to investigate whether it can improve movement and function when combined with rehabilitation. Find out more here.
Authors: Iona Novak, Jens Bo Nielsen, Rachel Byrne, Christina Hoei-Hansen, Jessica Gengaroli, Karin Lind, Jenna Mitchell, Maria Mc Namara, Anina Ritterband-Rosenbaum, and Catherine Morgan.
This review aims to bring together evidence across different studies to address uncertainty and inconsistencies in early intervention practice. It organises the evolution of early intervention into three key shifts, in infants with or at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP). Historical early interventions (shift 1.0) generally followed a later diagnosis and used a passive broad approach to treatment. Early intervention 2.0 identified the value of early diagnosis and active, motor- learning based treatment to be the superior method of approach compared to passive approaches. Now emerging early intervention methods (shift 3.0) focus on more holistic precision driven context-responsive care, allowing treatment to be tailored to the specific needs of the individual child and their context. Find out more here.
Authors: Madison C B Paton, Joanne Kurtzberg, Jessica Sun, Sarah Reedman, Remy Blatch-Williams, Michael Fahey, Iona Novak, Megan Finch-Edmondson
Cord blood infusion is an emerging treatment for cerebral palsy (CP) that is currently only available in the United States (US) through research and an expanded access program at Duke University. This study aimed to understand what the barriers and enablers are to implementing cord blood treatment for CP. To do this, the research team conducted interviews with 16 professionals involved in delivering cord blood treatment for CP which were then thematically analysed revealing five key themes. Identified enablers included leadership across disciplines, multidisciplinary teams, dedicated resourcing, a research culture and a strong safety profile. Meanwhile, challenges include limited awareness among clinicians, uncertainty around treatment effectiveness, and funding and regulatory constraints. The findings suggest cord blood treatment programs could be implemented elsewhere, but this would require consideration of local factors. Future research should involve others not directly involved in the program at Duke to understand this further. Find out more here.
This paper was also discussed by Dr Megan Finch-Edmondson on a recent episode of The ResearchWorks Podcast. You can listen to the podcast here (or on all other major platforms) or watch it on YouTube here.
Authors: Jeewan Jyoti, Donna Waters, Sharon Laing, Denise Harrison, Nadia Badawi, Himanshu Popat
Babies who have surgery can experience significant pain, but because they cannot tell us how they feel, assessing their pain can be challenging. This review looked at research on how healthcare professionals measure pain in infants up to 12 months of age after surgery. The authors found 20 different pain assessment methods, with no single tool consistently used across hospitals. Pain assessments, documentation, and treatment decisions varied widely, and some tools had not been fully tested for postoperative pain in infants. Notably, no studies examined a parent-led pain assessment. The study highlights the need for more reliable, family-inclusive, and consistent ways to recognise and monitor infant pain after surgery. Find out more here.
Authors: Archana Priyadarshi, Rajeshwar Angiti, Shilpi Chabra, Ryan McAdams, Annabel Webb, Nadia Badawi, Murray Kenneth Hinder, Mark B Tracy
Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious bowel condition that can affect newborn babies, especially those born prematurely. This study explored whether using both abdominal ultrasound and X-rays together could better identify babies who may need surgery. Researchers found that ultrasound provided important information about bowel health that X-rays alone could not show. Babies with reassuring ultrasound results were often found to have less serious conditions, such as feeding intolerance, and were unlikely to need surgery. Combining ultrasound with X-rays improved doctors’ ability to identify higher-risk babies, potentially helping families receive earlier, more targeted treatment while avoiding unnecessary interventions. Find out more here.
Authors: Anna Purna Basu, Tim Rapley, Mackenzie Woodbury, Arvin Garg, Michelle Phoenix, Katarina Ostojic, Iona Novak, Susan Woolfenden
Children and young people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities often face challenges beyond healthcare, including financial stress, difficulties accessing services, housing problems, and social isolation. This article suggests that healthcare should help families connect with practical community supports through “social prescribing,” where a trained worker helps families find and access the services they need. The authors challenge common beliefs that social needs are not a healthcare responsibility, that social prescribing lacks evidence, or that it is too expensive. They highlight growing evidence that social prescribing can improve quality of life, reduce unmet needs, and support better health outcomes for children and families. Find out more here.
Authors: Isabelle K. Shearer, Adrienne Antonson, Juliette Van Steenwinckel, Pierre Gressens, Mary Tolcos, David Walker, Sarah J. Spencer, Rodney Johnson & Bobbi Fleiss
Microglia are special immune cells in the brain that help support normal brain development, protect the brain from injury, and assist with repair. This review examined how microglia develop in humans and compared this development with mice, pigs, and sheep, which are commonly used in research. The authors found that microglia change through several stages as the brain grows, and that these stages can influence how the brain responds to injury or inflammation. The authors found that pig research may help scientists better understand human brain development because some microglial developmental patterns appear similar between pigs and human babies before birth. However, more research is needed, particularly in pigs and sheep, to confirm these findings. Find out more here.
Research studies and clinical trials are a vital way to identify breakthroughs and advancements in the treatment and prevention of cerebral palsy.
