A Path to the First FDA Drug for Concussion? How Ghrelin Could Change Brain Injury Recovery

Concussions are one of the most common neurological injuries in the world—and yet, there is still no FDA-approved pharmaceutical treatment for them. If you’ve experienced a concussion or post-concussion syndrome, you’ve likely heard the standard advice: rest, reduce stimulation, and wait. For some, that works. But for many, symptoms linger for months—or even years.

So what if we’ve been missing something fundamental?

In a recent episode of Life After Impact, I sat down with trauma surgeon and researcher Dr. Vishal Bansal, founder of Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals to explore a groundbreaking concept that could reshape how we think about concussion recovery: using a naturally occurring hormone—ghrelin—to support brain healing.

🧬 The Problem: Why Concussion Treatment Has Stalled

Despite decades of research, concussion care has remained largely unchanged.

Why? Because concussion is not a simple injury.

• It affects multiple systems at once

• Symptoms vary widely between individuals

• There is no single biomarker that defines recovery

• Brain imaging is often “normal” despite ongoing dysfunction

As Dr. Bansal explains, this makes concussion more similar to conditions like depression or anxiety—complex, individualized, and difficult to measure objectively.

And from a medical standpoint, that makes it incredibly difficult to treat.

🔗 The Gut-Brain Connection: Where the Breakthrough Began

Dr. Bansal’s journey didn’t start with concussion—it started with the gut.

While studying traumatic brain injury in animal models, his team noticed something unexpected:Brain injury was significantly affecting the intestines.This led to a deeper investigation into the gut-brain axis, particularly the role of the vagus nerve—the primary communication pathway between the brain and the digestive system.

What they discovered next changed everything.

⚡ The “Aha” Moment: Ghrelin and Brain Regeneration

During a deep dive into the research, Dr. Bansal came across a striking finding:

When brain cells were exposed to ghrelin, they began to regenerate.

Ghrelin is commonly known as the “hunger hormone.” It’s produced in the stomach and signals the brain to initiate eating.

But that’s only part of the story.

Ghrelin also:

• Crosses the blood-brain barrier

• Influences mitochondrial function

• Reduces oxidative stress

• Supports neuron survival and repair

• Plays a role in memory and hippocampal function 

This reframes ghrelin entirely—not just as a metabolic hormone, but as a brain health molecule.

🔬 A New Approach: Using the Body’s Own Chemistry

Instead of creating a completely new drug, Dr. Bansal and his team asked a powerful question:

What if we could amplify something the body already does naturally?

This approach is not new in medicine:

• We use insulin for diabetes

• Epinephrine for emergencies

• Hormones to regulate physiology

Ghrelin may be the next example of this principle—leveraging endogenous biology to restore balance after injury.

🧠 How Ghrelin May Help Concussion Recovery

The potential of ghrelin lies in its dual-phase action:

1. Immediate Effects (Acute Phase)

• Supports mitochondrial function

• Reduces oxidative stress

• Stabilizes cellular energy production

2. Longer-Term Effects (Recovery Phase)

• Promotes neuron repair and axonal health

• Supports hippocampal function (memory, learning)

• Enhances neuroplasticity

This means ghrelin may not just treat symptoms—it may actually change the trajectory of recovery.

🚨 What Makes This Different?

Most current approaches to concussion care focus on:

• Managing symptoms (headaches, sleep, mood)

• Gradual return to activity

But this research is targeting something deeper:

👉 The underlying biological processes of brain injury

And even more importantly:

👉 The possibility of preventing symptoms before they fully develop

Dr. Bansal describes a future where concussion treatment could look more like an emergency intervention:

Imagine an “EpiPen for concussion”—something given immediately after injury to prevent long-term dysfunction.

📊 The Challenge: Measuring Success

One of the biggest hurdles in concussion research is how to measure improvement.

Interestingly, regulatory bodies like the FDA are less concerned with biomarkers (like tau or GFAP levels) and more focused on:

👉 How the patient actually feels

That means clinical trials must demonstrate improvement across multiple domains:

• Sleep

• Memory

• Mood

• Irritability

• Cognitive function

Early trials with ghrelin have already shown promising changes in several of these areas.

🔑 The Takeaway

This research represents a shift in how we think about brain injury:

• Not just structural damage

• Not just symptom management

• But a dynamic biological process that can be influenced and supported

And perhaps most importantly:

👉 Recovery may not just be about waiting—it may be about intervening intelligently

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

If you want to hear the full conversation and dive deeper into the science behind this potential breakthrough, you can listen to the episode here:

👉 https://youtu.be/MI2TX_YbNKc

💬 Final Thoughts

For years, patients with concussion have been told some version of:

“You just need more time.”

But what if time isn’t the only variable?

What if the future of concussion care lies in understanding—and supporting—the body’s own healing mechanisms?

We may be closer to that reality than we think.