Concussions are brain injuries caused by diverse mechanisms (falls, sports, motor-vehicle, assaults) with complex physical, psychological, and social sequelae. The lack of efficient, harmonized and integrated comprehensive data-collection results in studying only lowest common-denominator factors, restricting the potential for discoveries to transform care on this brain injury impacting 400,000 Canadians annually and precludes examining brain plasticity in the general population. A paucity of large concussion datasets exists adequately powered to leverage neuroinformatics and advanced data-analytics to examine how individual factors (age, sex/gender, injury mechanism, co-morbidities) modulate recovery and which therapies (pharmacological, rehabilitation and mental-health) are most effective. The overall goal of TRANSCENDENT is to build a world-leading data-registry incorporating common-data-elements collected during interdisciplinary care across multiple sites of a Learning-Health-System (360 Concussion Care) treating the full spectrum of concussion. We will conduct parallel research studies to answer priority clinical questions to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and management of concussion to transform care. We will leverage our large network of partnerships to cross-link related datasets using advanced neuroinformatics to accelerate discoveries on brain health. TRANSCENDENT will be an incubator for industry to explore novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools. Throughout this endeavor, we will continue to engage concussion stakeholders (patients, caregivers, providers, sporting regulatory bodies, schools, workplaces, government) to foster bidirectional sharing of priorities and shape best-evidence policies. Finally, TRANSCENDENT will incorporate discoveries into living concussion guidelines and help educate the general public around prevention and intervention.
To learn more about Dr. Zemek's team and the TRANSCENDENT research program, read CHEO Research Institute's article here.