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Eye Tracking: Objective Assessment for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth Athletes (2022-2023)

In children, brain injury is so common that it is a leading source of disability and death. Sports-related concussions in children and adolescents (5-18 years) account for up to 60% of all pediatric concussions. Still, there are challenges in diagnosing concussions objectively and measuring the impact of multiple subconcussive head injuries over time.

Building on the work of previous teams, this project team studied how head impact exposure may contribute to observable deficits in oculomotor response that can be tracked and used for diagnostic purposes. Their ongoing research aims to assess oculomotor response as an objective tool for diagnosing concussion and quantifying the pathophysiology of cumulative subconcussive insults to the pediatric brain.

To accomplish this, the project team performed an oculomotor assessment routine on youth athletes and compared these data to in-season documentation of concussions and levels of impact/practice exposure. They used questionnaires and an earpiece sensor (DASHR) developed at Duke to quantify head impact exposure experienced by the participants.

Timing

Summer 2022 – Spring 2023

Team Outputs

Eye Tracking: Objective Assessment for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth Athletes (Interactive Display presented at Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, Duke University, April 19, 2023)

This Team in the News

The Test and the Tackle: A New Way to Measure Head Injury in Youth Football

Bass Connections Teams Share Research Highlights at 2023 Showcase

Senior Spotlight: Reflections from the Class of 2023

Meet the Members of the 2023-2024 Student Advisory Council

See related teams, Eye Tracking: Objective Assessment for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth Athletes (2023-2024) and Eye Tracking: Objective Assessment for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth Athletes (2021-2022).

 

Image: Youth Football, by Jamie Williams, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Team Leaders

  • Cameron Bass, Pratt School of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering
  • Bruce Capehart, Durham VA Medical Center
  • Jason Luck, Pratt School of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering
  • Adam Mehlenbacher, School of Medicine: Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences

Undergraduate Team Members

  • Erin Biddiscombe, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Megan Christy, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Alec Deakin, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Martha Deja, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Evan Glas, Electrical & Computer Egr(BSE); Computer Science (BS2)
  • Carson Herman, Biology (BS)
  • Caroline Howley, Economics (BS)
  • Ruthie Jones, Psychology (BS)
  • Audrey Kline, Computer Science (BS)
  • Paola Lambert, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Rachel Landwehr, Biology (BS)
  • Alex Mason, Economics (BS)
  • Kishen Mitra, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Emme Payne, Biology (BS); Global Health (AB2)
  • Katie Schilling, Computer Science (BS)
  • Andrew Shaffer, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Riley Spingler, Biology (BS)
  • Michelle Tetro, Neuroscience (BS)

Community Organizations

  • The Durham Eagles Pop Warner football
  • Cardinal Gibbons High School
  • Raleigh Revolution Middle School Youth Football

Team Contributors

  • Jennifer Groh, Arts & Sciences: Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Jason Kait, Pratt School of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering: Civil & Environmental Engineering