Grant: Operating Grant: CCI - Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI)

<html> <head> </head> <body> Every year, thousands of Canadians are diagnosed with a concussion, the most common form of brain injury. In contact sports, athletes are exposed to subconcussive impacts &#8211; repetitive, low-intensity movement of the brain that can disrupt neural pathway function. More research is needed to measure changes in brain function, identify cognitive deficits and determine resilience factors that can inform better prevention and treatment strategies to reduce long-term-risks in athletes. We are seeking funding through NSERC&#8217;s ARTi grant to set up The RESILIENCE project (Research Effects for Sport and Life in Electroencephalography Neurological measurements at Capilano University EEG testing) that will explore head impact&#8217;s effects on health in high-performance contact sports and investigate the role of resilience in injury prevention and recovery. The equipment requested is the Neurocatch platform - a portable, Health Canada-approved device that measures brain vital signs, and tracks cognitive and neurophysiological changes as a measure of brain resilience. Neurocatch can perform real-time, non-invasive scans of brain activity that can inform treatment, optimize performance, and identify cognitive deficits for injury prevention. This equipment will facilitate extensive research and training opportunities within Capilano University's School of Kinesiology. Students will be able to use Neurocatch under the faculty supervision to perform scans on fellow student athletes and research participants, gaining hands-on training opportunities on neurological assessments while contributing to research. Research collaborations has been initiated between several partners, including Canadian Sports Institute&#8211; Pacific &amp; Whistler, BC Injury Prevention and Research Unit at UBC, and Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport. Data collected from Neurocatch will enhance the personalized services provided by kinesiologists, coaches, neurorehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, clinical counsellors, and mental performance consultants. The research team will also share findings through workshops and learning resources for practitioners, as well as develop a comprehensive training guide for HealthTech Connex. This equipment will springboard further research into resiliency, neurophysiological assessment, and brain health at Capilano University and beyond, offering new insights to mitigate concussion risks and improve recovery outcomes for Canadians </body> </html>