Traumatic Brain Injury

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Traumatic Brain Injury

Identifying Principles of Network Organization & Plasticity in TBI

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disrupts the brain’s network architecture, compromising the efficiency and flexibility of system-wide network function. Whether resulting from sports-related concussions sustained by NCAA Division I athletes, English and Welsh rugby players, or blast injuries experienced by military service members, TBI can destabilize the connectome by damaging its connections and impairing executive, social, and emotional functions that are central to general intelligence. While significant progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of TBI, critical questions remain about how local damage alters the topology and dynamics of system-wide network function and why some pathways and networks are more vulnerable to injury.

Equally pressing is the question of recovery. The brain’s plasticity enables functional reorganization following injury, forming new pathways to compensate for damage. But what principles guide this dynamic and adaptive process – in what respects can brain networks modify their topology in response to injury? And why do some individuals recover fully while others face lasting challenges? What factors – such as injury severity, frequency, age, sex, genetics, or the brain’s intrinsic network architecture – shape the ability to adapt and recover?

Our research investigates how TBI disrupts and reshapes the connectome over time, employing neuroimaging and computational modeling methods to map the evolution of injury and recovery. By studying NCAA Division I athletes, English and Welsh rugby players, and military service members, we aim to identify patterns of vulnerability and resilience, guiding the design of improved rehabilitation strategies and safer return-to-play and return-to-duty protocols.