Due to their massive prevalence and often insidious nature, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a challenging public health concern. As a result of subtle injuries or in cases of incomplete recovery, victims of TBI may be cleared to return to the activities that caused their injuries, exposing them to repeat injuries. Given the recently-discovered link between repetitive brain trauma and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, strategies are needed to address the issue of TBIs both in a short-term setting, by improving detection and informing treatment, and a long-term setting, by improving prevention. In this presentation, I will outline the results of two studies. In the first, we scanned 20 youth with mild TBIs (mTBI) in the sub-acute stage of recovery (3 to 90 days) and 40 healthy controls. We used recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to better understand the neuropathology involved in mTBIs. We found concurrent neuropathologies in the patient group, which, based on linear regression analyses, were predictive of symptoms. In the second study, we analyzed a longitudinal sample of males followed from age 6 to 30 to assess whether childhood behavioural problems can predict TBIs sustained in adolescence and adulthood. When participants were children, teachers rated them on a variety of externalizing behaviours, including inattention and hyperactivity, and hurtful and uncaring behaviours. Using logistic regressions, we found that such behaviours could predict TBIs in adolescence and adulthood, after controlling for previous TBIs and familial social-status. Results from the first study suggest that advanced MRI techniques can be used to better understand the neuropathology of TBIs, which could inform on potential treatments. Results from the second study show that childhood behaviours can provide an inexpensive and easily-accessible way to predict future risk of TBIs, and suggest that behavioural therapies aimed at reducing these behaviours may also reduce the risk of future TBIs.

Short- and long-term approaches to address traumatic brain injuries: Results from imaging and epidemiological studies