Project 462992

Concussion, anxiety, and depression are all very common in teenagers. In general, about one-quarter of teenagers that have a concussion will experience long-lasting symptoms, including headaches and problems with their mood, thinking, and sleep which can affect their ability to function in day-to-day life. Teenagers with anxiety and depression are at an even higher risk for long-lasting symptoms after concussion. This may be because their the vulnerable connections in their brains are already burdened from their mental health challenges and therefore cannot withstand the effects of injury and possibly have less ability to recover. Examining the effects of concussions in teenagers with anxiety and depression is complicated because these mental health problems are also associated with mood, thinking, and sleep difficulties as well as brain changes. In this study, we identify teenagers with anxiety and depression before they have a concussion and track and assess concussions which allows us to measure how the brain, and mental health is different after a concussion compared to before the injury. By learning about what makes the brains of teenagers with anxiety and depression vulnerable to the long-lasting effects of concussion we can better target interventions to enhance resilience and recovery.