Investigating Associations between Neurocognition, Blood Biomarkers, and White Matter Structure in Survivors of Chronic Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence
Justin Brand
This study investigates intimate partner violence brain injury (IPV-BI). Physical attacks in IPV often result in direct/indirect blows to the head and neck area leaving survivors at risk of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI; i.e., concussion) and decreased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain (i.e., ischemic and hypoxic injury). Ultimately, IPV-BI leaves survivors at risk of symptoms that can disrupt everyday life.
For every concussion in the NHL, over 7000 Canadian women, girls, and gender diverse people suffer concussions by an intimate partner (YWCA, My Concussion Story).
Our first aim is to evaluate biomarker levels in the brain and blood to aid in the development of biomarker panels that can classify IPV-BI by using a novel rodent model of IPV-BI that incorporates models of stress with mTBI and ischemic/hypoxic injury (i.e., non-fatal strangulation; NFS).
Our second aim is to translate this to clinical population by relating blood biomarker levels and neuropsychological assessments in IPV-BI survivors to various brain imaging scans years after IPV-BI.
Researchers
Justin Brand. Josh Allen
Location
Christie Lab UVic, MSB250, UVic Concussion Lab, R Hut Room 112