Defining the Role of Repetitive Head Impact Time Intervals in Mitigating Subconcussive Neural Injury
Indiana University
Summary
Military service members frequently experience repetitive insults or impacts to the head (RHIs). The purpose of the proposed randomized controlled trial is to understand how time intervals affect neurological responses to repetitive subconcussive head impacts.
Description
This study will address whether, and to what extent, the interval of time between repetitive head impact (RHI) clusters (short, 24 hours; long, 72 hours) influences neuronal cellular, physiological, and functional integrity. We will leverage a human laboratory model of RHI to standardize and isolate the effects of RHI in the context of direction, magnitude, and frequency of head impact. There are three aims that navigate this study: Aim 1: To determine the effect of the interval of time between RHI clusters on neural cellular and molecular integrities through expression profiles of biofluid…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Current soccer player (intercollegiate, club, intramural, recreational). * At least 5 years of soccer heading experience (justification below). * Ability to provide informed consent without a legally authorized representative (LAR). Exclusion Criteria: * Any head, neck, or face injury within the 6 months prior to enrollment, including concussions, that precludes participation in contact sports. * Participants with eye conditions or diseases that could impact the blood vessels in the eye -such as but not limited to: glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy.…
Interventions
- OtherShort Interval
A standardized and reliable soccer heading protocol will be used for the experiment. Participants perform 16 headers or kicking with 1 header per 30 seconds. The sessions (twice per week for 4 weeks) will be separated by 24 hours.
- OtherLong Interval
A standardized and reliable soccer heading protocol will be used for the experiment. Participants perform 16 headers or kicking with 1 header per 30 seconds. The sessions (twice per week for 4 weeks) will be separated by 72 hours.
- DeviceBrainScope qEEG
An Investigational version of the BrainScope FDA-cleared qEEG acquisition device will be used in this study. The investigational nature of the device is simply based on the code which does not produce a diagnostic result for the blinded researcher. Electrodes will be placed around the participant's forehead and scalp to acquire electrical readings of brain activity.
Location
- Indiana University School of Public HealthBloomington, Indiana