Grant: Network Catalyst Grants - Concussion

Each year, an estimated 250,000 Canadians and more than 40 million people worldwide sustain a concussion. Children and adolescents account for 50% of concussions, mostly occurring during sport and recreational activities; in Canada, roughly 1 in 10 teens will seek medical care for a sport-related concussion annually. Approximately 15-30% of children and youth with concussion report persistent postconcussive symptoms; and many sustain recurrent concussions, which can result in acute, life threatening injury in rare instances and may have lifelong consequences. Despite this growing burden, evidence-informed approaches to prevent concussions, diagnose them rapidly and objectively, and treat them effectively are sorely lacking. Integrated, multidisciplinary, large-scale research programs on concussion are needed to address this challenge. Canada is home to an impressive array of scientists who are world leaders in concussion research; however, they remain siloed and uncoordinated, without a national network to establish and guide a national concussion research agenda. Along with a variety of stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, community organizations, government, and industry, Canadian concussion researchers have agreed to forge the Canadian Concussion Network (CCN). The CCN organizers represent multiple disciplines and institutions, and are leaders in national and international concussion initiatives. They co-created the plan for the CCN with a broad range of stakeholders and a multidisciplinary group of scientists and clinician-scientists. The CCN will promote innovative and collaborative research to improve the prevention, diagnosis/prognosis, and management of concussion, focusing on sport and youth. Through continuous engagement with our knowledge users, integrated knowledge translation, and development of highly qualified personnel, the CCN will drive a coordinated research agenda that will shape best practices and policies in Canada and internationally.