Active clinical trials for "Brain Concussion"

The purpose of the study is to test whether low level electric stimulation, called transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), on the part of the brain (i.e., presupplementary motor area) thought to aid in memory will improve verbal retrieval in military veteran participants with histories of traumatic brain injuries. The primary outcome measures are neuropsychological assessments of verbal retrieval, and the secondary measures are neuropsychological assessments of other cognitive abilities and electroencephalography (EEG) measures. Additionally, the study will examine the degree to which baseline assessments of cognition and concussion history predict responses to treatment over time, both on assessments administered within the intervention period and at follow-up.

Service members and/or recently separated veterans with post traumatic stress symptoms and mild traumatic brain injury may participate in 8 sessions including 2 sessions including interviews and questionnaires as well as 6 sessions of art therapy. In the art therapy, participants will be provided with a blank paper mache mask template and invited to alter the mask however they wish using a variety of art materials. The therapist will use the art-making process and culminating product to aid in self-reflection, reframe negative thoughts and feelings, and work through traumatic content. Prior to the session start participants will get set up with a mobile qEEG (worn like a hat and backpack). The qEEG will measure brain activity in a non-invasive way throughout the art therapy session to improve understanding of brain activity during the art therapy process.

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two models of delivery of guided exercise in patients with exercise intolerance after mild head injury. The main question it aims to answer is: • Is a program that includes elements of in-house exercise and follow-up sessions, and repeated treadmill testing, superior to a program with telephone-based follow-up only? Participants will undergo a treadmill test to determine eligibility for the study, and to determine at what intensity level their symptoms worsen (symptom threshold). Thereafter they will exercise 15-20 minutes, 3-5 times per week at 80-90% of the heart rate that was found to be the symptom threshold. One group will receive face-to-face folllow-up and repeated testing, one group will receive telephone-based follow-up only . Researchers will compare these two groups to see if closer follow-up is superior when it comes to recovery from exercise intolerance after 12 weeks of exercise.

The objective for this study is to compare outcome measures from vestibular rehabilitation (VPT) delivered in a traditional method against a new device Incremental Velocity Error (IVE) that improves physiologic performance of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Participants include active duty service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and civilians with peripheral vestibular hypofunction. The investigators will use a clinical trial cross-over design with randomization to either the control (VPT) or experimental (IVE) group and measure vestibulo-ocular reflex function as well as subjective and functional outcomes in order to investigate the best means to improve delivery of vestibular rehabilitation.

The investigators are comparing two methods for helping improve everyday cognitive functioning in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The two methods are 1) providing educational materials (Education Group) and 2) individual cognitive rehabilitation delivered by a trained Occupational Therapist or Speech-Language Pathologist (Therapy Group). The study is a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT), and will serve as pilot data for a future RCT.

Concussions are one of the most complex conditions to manage in sport medicine due to the individualized clinical presentation, caused by a complex neurometabolic cascade, and the lack of a diagnostic standard. There is currently no objective measurement for concussion and the reliance on subjective reporting and clinical judgement is imperfect. In previous clinical studies the investigators determined cutoff values of plasma phosphatidylcholines that provided strong indication that a concussion had occurred. Based on this data, the investigators have developed a custom assay, which will work together with a capillary blood collection device. The current clinical trial will be conducted in two parts. Part A will allow the investigators to determine precise AUC cut-off values for the propriety, novel custom assay, and in Part B the investigators will assess the safety and efficacy of this device for concussion diagnosis in adolescent athletes aged 13-17.

The Y Balance Test for the lower quarter (YBT-LQ) is a movement screen used to assess an athlete's risk for injury. The YBT-LQ is a dynamic balance test where the participant stands on a single leg and with the opposite lower extremity reaches are far in the anterior direction as they can, and this value is measured. The process is repeated in the posterior medial, and the posterior lateral directions. The final values are controlled for leg length of the participants. The YBT-LQ has been shown to be predictive of lower extremity injury in high school basketball players, but it is typically used as part of a battery of tests to determine the athlete's overall injury risk, but more questions remain to be answered. The research question: Is the YBT-LQ predictive of concussion in high school athletes? What are the norms for YBT-LQ in high school athletes? Does history of concussion effect YBT-LQ? Is the YBT-LQ with visual perturbations predictive of concussions? Is the YBT-LQ with visual perturbations predictive of lower extremity injury? What is the impact of visual perturbations on Y-balance and its injury prevention capability? The target student participants will be 9th through 12th grade students; however, 6th to 8th grade students will be allowed to participate depending on the school or organization request. Informed consent will be obtained reiterating that participation is voluntary. Testing utilizing the YBT-LQ will occur, and sport of participation, age, height, weight, dorsiflexion, and leg length will be obtained. Follow up will be made via the athletic trainers and school personnel to indicate the effected athletes. Once the post-test follow up is complete athletes will be able to see their pre-test scores, and any questions will be answered at that time. This will be a longitudinal study where testing will take place at least two times per year, preferably three times per year over 4 years.

The goal of this study is to test the ability of a computerized neuropsychological battery to identify attentional disorders resulting from a concussion occurring during the practice of rugby. Thirty young people with a concussion (11-25 years old) will take several neuropsychological tests. Researchers will compare their results with those of young athletes without concussion to see the effect of concussion.

The aim of this study is to determine how we can best support coaches to implement an injury prevention (IP) program (Prep-to-Play) in female community Australian Football. We will recruit at least 140 female community football teams from 15 different football leagues in Victoria, Australia. Teams will be competing in U16, U17, U18, U19 or open womens competitions. We will train and support coaches to implement the IP program and evaluate the effects of the IP program on injuries across two football seasons.

Mindfulness is a promising tool which may foster adaptative interpersonal qualities to reduce the risk of persistent post-concussion symptoms. The present feasibility study will customize and validate a mindfulness mobile smart-phone app easily accessible to youth and families. The study will also determine whether mindfulness training increases quality of life, reduces symptom burden and promotes neurophysiological recovery at 4 weeks post-injury in adolescents who were diagnosed with an acute concussion compared to a cognitive sham app + usual care.