Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Study for People without a Concussion
STUDY BASICS
Do you have a minor orthopaedic injury, such as a sprain or strain, that occurred in the past 10 days and did not require hospital admission? Are you aged 18-50? You may be able to participate in a 1-visit research study to find out if a virtual reality goggle system can accurately assess brain injury. Eligible participants have NOT had a concussion in the last 12 months. Compensation provided.
STUDY PURPOSE
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Although concussions are common, diagnosing concussions and assessing recovery in people who have had a concussion can be difficult. The purpose of this study is to find out if a virtual reality goggle system can accurately diagnose concussions and assess concussion recovery by comparing information from people with and without a recent history of concussion.
COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?
- Ages 18-50
- Currently have a minor orthopaedic injury, such as a sprain or strain, that occurred in the last 10 days and did not require hospital admission
- No history of a concussion in last 12 months
- No history of any major psychiatric disorder, such as schizophrenia, or depression
- No history of any neurological disorder, such as epilepsy, stroke, or dementia
- No prior history of hearing or balance disorders such as Meniere’s disease, multiple sclerosis, hearing loss, or vestibular disorders
- No history of brain or central nervous system tumors
- Not pregnant
WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT
Participation involves one in-person visit that will take about 60-90 minutes. Participants will answer questions and complete tests while wearing virtual reality goggles. Please note: participants without concussion will be age- and gender-matched to participants with concussion, so it is possible that you will be eligible for the study but will never actually participate.
IRB: STUDY20020032
- Standardized Instruments to Provide Diagnostic and Prognostic Information in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)MEET THE RESEARCHER

Carey Balaban
Carey D. Balaban, PhD, is a professor in the departments of Otolaryngology, Neurobiology, Communication Science & Disorders, and Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Balaban's research focuses on understanding the neurobiology of the vestibular system so that new therapies for vestibular disorders can be designed.