The Effect of Exercise on Neurorecovery Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

University of Florida39 enrolled

Overview

The study is a "proof-of-principle" project to examine the safety and feasibility of implementing a 1-week aerobic exercise program in the post-acute phase after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The study will define the extent to which the exercise program improves recovery from mTBI in terms of relevant functional outcomes (cognition, mood, and physical status) and biomarkers (peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor \[BDNF\] concentration).

This is a "proof-of-principle" project for human subjects to examine the safety and feasibility of implementing a 1-week aerobic exercise program in the post-acute phase after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This study will define the extent to which the exercise program improves recovery from mTBI in terms of relevant functional outcomes (cognition, mood, and physical status) and biomarkers (peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor \[BDNF\] concentration). This project will also lay the foundation for understanding the relationship between exercise and BDNF in the area of mTBI neurorecovery, thereby allowing future studies to develop best-practice methods for implementing exercise interventions as a treatment option for brain injuries.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Brain Concussion

Interventions

Aerobic ExerciseBEHAVIORAL

Aerobic exercise will consist of riding a stationary bicycle at moderate intensity for 2 consecutive, 20-minute periods with a 5-minute break in between. Moderate intensity is defined as maintaining 65-75% of estimated maximum heart rate based on the calculation (HRmax = 208 - 0.7 × age).

Non-Aerobic ExerciseBEHAVIORAL

Non-Aerobic exercise will consist of very low-intensity movements including static stretching and toning exercises.Participants will complete 2 consecutive, 20-minute periods with a 5-minute break in between, mirroring the aerobic exercise condition. Heart rate will be monitored by research staff to ensure that it remains below 50% of estimated maximum heart rate.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 40 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) group: Inclusion Criteria: * Meet criteria for mTBI as set forth by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine * mTBI was sustained 14-25 days before beginning the exercise intervention Exclusion Criteria: * comorbid orthopaedic injury that inhibits movement * history of serious psychiatric disturbance with hospitalization, * prior history of neurologic disease, * current or past history of substance abuse disorder, * diabetes * previous history of moderate or severe head injury, * neurological disorder unrelated to TBI (e.g., seizure disorder) * physician recommendations against exercise * non-English speakers Non-injured Group: Inclusion Criteria: \- Gainesville, Florida community member Exclusion Criteria: * History of mTBI or other brain injury in the past year * comorbid orthopaedic injury that inhibits movement * history of serious psychiatric disturbance with hospitalization, * prior history of neurologic disease, * current or past history of substance abuse disorder, * diabetes * previous history of moderate or severe head injury, * neurological disorder unrelated to TBI (e.g., seizure disorder) * physician recommendations against exercise * non-English speakers

Locations (1)

University of Florida Health Science Center

Gainesville, Florida, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Symptom Score on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT3)

Obtained from the 22-item symptom evaluation included in the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT3). The participant's present experience of each symptom is rated on a likert scale from 0 (none) to 6 (severe). The symptom score represents how many symptoms the participant endorses experiencing at a level greater than 0 (maximum 22 points).