The Effect of Exercise on Neurorecovery Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

This is a "proof-of-principle" project for human subjects to examine the safety and
feasibility of implementing a 1-week aerobic exercise program in the post-acute phase after
mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This study will define the extent to which the exercise
program improves recovery from mTBI in terms of relevant functional outcomes (cognition,
mood, and physical status) and biomarkers (peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor
[BDNF] concentration). This project will also lay the foundation for understanding the
relationship between exercise and BDNF in the area of mTBI neurorecovery, thereby allowing
future studies to develop best-practice methods for implementing exercise interventions as a
treatment option for brain injuries.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) group:

Inclusion Criteria:

- Meet criteria for mTBI as set forth by the American Congress of Rehabilitation
Medicine

- mTBI was sustained 14-25 days before beginning the exercise intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

- comorbid orthopaedic injury that inhibits movement

- history of serious psychiatric disturbance with hospitalization,

- prior history of neurologic disease,

- current or past history of substance abuse disorder,

- diabetes

- previous history of moderate or severe head injury,

- neurological disorder unrelated to TBI (e.g., seizure disorder)

- physician recommendations against exercise

- non-English speakers

Non-injured Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

- Gainesville, Florida community member

Exclusion Criteria:

- History of mTBI or other brain injury in the past year

- comorbid orthopaedic injury that inhibits movement

- history of serious psychiatric disturbance with hospitalization,

- prior history of neurologic disease,

- current or past history of substance abuse disorder,

- diabetes

- previous history of moderate or severe head injury,

- neurological disorder unrelated to TBI (e.g., seizure disorder)

- physician recommendations against exercise

- non-English speakers