Grant: Collaborative Health Research Projects

The use of helmets by athletes has drastically reduced the incidence of severe brain injuries*resulting from head impacts. Despite widespread use of helmets, there continues to be a*concerning level of incidence of concussion. In contrast to the majority of traumatic injuries, a*concussion may not cause visible structural damage to the brain, but results in the rapidonset*of neurological dysfunction. Repeated trauma has been linked to a neurodegenerative*disease with devastating mental health outcomes, including increased levels of depression,*aggression, and suicidality.*Helmet testing standards implemented to reduce brain trauma involve monitoring the*acceleration profiles of a drop-tested helmeted rigid headforms to ensure that critical*thresholds are not exceeded. Hard acceleration thresholds may not be adequate to define*critical conditions for trauma, particularly when an impact induces a rotational acceleration of*the head or when we consider evidence that repeated subconcussive impacts have also led*to significant neurodegeneration. The response of a human brain is certainly more complex*than our current testing may be able to resolve, requiring a new basis of evaluation.*The proposed research project will combine cadaver testing with finite element modelling to*inform the design and validation of a next-generation deformable headform for impact testing.*This new headform will return measurements of brain deformation that occur during the*impact. Since the brain undergoes significant deformation during an impact, it is expected that*this measurement would be more sensitive to the rotational forces that are detrimental to the*brain. Upon completion, the developed headform will provide standards committees with an*alternative that may replace the current standards. Advancing the state of helmet evaluation*has the potential to increase the long-term quality of life for numerous Canadians at risk for*concussion.