Concussion in Older Adults – Healthy Volunteers Aged 60-89
STUDY BASICS
Are you 60-89 years old and do not currently have a concussion? If so, you may be able to participate in a 1-visit research study to help find out if standard tests can accurately assess brain injury in older adults. Study procedures include thinking tests, questionnaires, eye movement testing, and questions about your medical/social history. Compensation is provided.
STUDY PURPOSE
A concussion is a brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Although concussions are common in adults over the age of 60, there are currently no standard concussion assessment tools for older adults. The lack of specialized assessment tools may make it difficult to evaluate brain injuries in this population.
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the effects of concussion by comparing people with and without a concussion. Researchers hope their findings will lead to better ways to assess concussions in older adults in the future.
COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?
- Ages 60-89
- Do not currently have a concussion
- No history of a moderate-to-severe brain injury,
- No history of a neurological disorder such as stroke, dementia, or epilepsy
- No history of a mental health disorder (history of anxiety or depression are allowed)
- Able to read and write
WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT
Participation includes one visit that will take about 35 minutes. Participants will be asked to complete tests, answer questionnaires, and have head and eye movement assessments.
IRB: STUDY19070367
- Evaluation of a clinical test battery to identify mild traumatic brain injury from controls in an older adult population.MEET THE RESEARCHER

Anthony Kontos
Dr. Anthony P. Kontos is Research Director for the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh. He has specialized in concussion research for 18 years and has over 220 peer-reviewed publications and over 380 professional presentations. His research is funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and National Football League and focuses on active, precision treatments and clinical trials; risk factors; neurocognitive/neuromotor effects; psychological issues; and concussion in military, pediatric, and sport populations. Dr. Kontos is a fellow and past-president of the Society for Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology of the American Psychological Association, and a fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology, Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and Eastern Psychological Association. He also co-authored (with Dr. Collins) Concussion: A Clinical Profile Based Approach to Assessment and Treatment.