Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Sport-related head trauma occurs at an alarmingly high rate, with estimates of the prevalence of concussion in adolescent athletes ranging from 10-25%. However, sport-related head injury remains one of the most poorly understood injuries in the fields of sports medicine and neuroscience. The overall objective of this research is to improve upon our current understanding of the cause for the functional changes seen following sports-related concussion. Due to the multi-factorial nature of this injury, achieving this goal requires a multidisciplinary approach. In Part One of the proposed research, the biomechanics of head impacts experienced by a cohort of young hockey, football, and soccer athletes will be monitored over multiple seasons of competition. Athletes will be equipped with wearable accelerometers capable of recording the magnitude of linear and rotational accelerations experienced by the head during each impact. This information will be evaluated in conjunction with laboratory measures taken pre- and post-concussion to assess the physiological control of blood flow to the brain, as it relates to cognitive function and symptoms associated with concussion. Part Two of this research will involve the use of a novel brain imaging technique to differentiate between concussed and non-concussed individuals. Myelin water imaging uses an MRI scanner to assess the integrity of the myelin sheath that encapsulates nerve fibers in the brain, enabling the exploration of the role that myelin degradation plays in concussion. Given the number of young athletes in Canada participating in sports that involve head impact, as well as the long-term consequences associated with repetitive concussions, it is imperative that we develop more objective, reliable techniques to diagnose and manage these injuries. The proposed research directly targets this need, and will help to minimize the long-term burden of this major public health concern at the individual and population level.