SEED neuroscience and psychology experts are involved in a new Australia-wide study to fill the gaps in what we know about concussion recovery and why some people recover well while others experience ongoing symptoms.
Also known as mild traumatic brain injury, concussion occurs when a physical injury to the head or body transmits force to the brain.
SEED’s Professor Karen Caeyenberghs says at least one in five Australians will experience concussion in their lifetime, but most research focuses on sports concussion in young athletes.
‘But concussion doesn’t only just happen in sport. The majority of the 180,000 cases in Australia every year are from falls, workplace injuries, accidents at home, motor vehicle accidents and assault,’ she says.
‘We know comparatively little about how people in the community experience concussion and their general recovery.
‘We do know most people recover well; however, a small number of people might continue to have ongoing symptoms, including headache, dizziness, tiredness, and problems concentrating. And we know that about 25 percent of concussion cases don’t seek any medical care, so we have little idea of what concussion recovery looks like in Australia.’
Harnessing mobile and web-based app technology, the Australian Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (AUS-mTBI) study is the first of its kind to integrate best practice, world leading research, and recovery experiences. The study, led by Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Melinda Fitzgerald, is a collaboration between leading Australian universities, institutes, organisations, and over 100 experts in concussion. It is funded by the Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund, Mission for Traumatic Brain Injury.
The groundbreaking research project will see thousands of volunteers from across the country who have had a recent concussion have the option to opt-in to report their symptoms via a specially-designed AUS-mTBI concussion online tool as part of the newly revised HeadCheck app, while receiving support for their recovery. This information will help researchers better understand concussion to improve its management, which will help the hundreds of thousands of Australians who suffer concussion each year.
As a Professor in cognitive neuroscience, Professor Caeyenberghs is bringing her specialist expertise in traumatic brain injury and neuroimaging research to the project. Participants in the study can choose to undergo MRI brain scans and Professor Caeyenberghs will work on the quality assessment and advanced analysis of these scans to explore the relationships between brain alterations and long-term outcome measures.
‘By applying advanced models, we can achieve better personalised training programs according to the symptoms and brain injury profiles of these patients so they can access better treatment and get back to school or return to work more quickly while experiencing fewer long-term effects,’ she says.
If you’d like more information on the AUS-mTBI Study and how to participate, visit https://www.connectivity.org.au/connecting-to-current-research-projects/aus-mtbi-participant-information/ or search @ausmtbi on Instagram, X, LinkedIn or Facebook.
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