The Global Concussion Consortium (GCC) initiative, started by AxialBridge, alongside research
partners from Ulster University and additional international collaborators, was founded with a united
vision to explore the current gaps in sports related concussion research including longitudinal
observational research. Although research in this eld has expanded over the past decade,
longitudinal studies examining the long-term eects of concussion and repeated head impacts in
sports remain limited. The goal of the Global Concussion Consortium is to grow to include more
organizations, stakeholders, and those with lived experience to ensure that the approach to future
concussion research includes the patient voice as well as early and ongoing patient engagement.
The primary objective of this initiative is to investigate the impact of sports participation on brain
health throughout an athlete's career. By collecting long term data and analyzing biomarkers across
a diverse athletic cohort, this study aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between
neurotrauma in sports and the development of neurodegenerative conditions
The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of using a digital application (an app) to
monitor the experiences of concussion in retired professional and elite athletes in Soccer/Football,
Gaelic Football, and Rugby Union. Research and understanding of sport-related concussion (SRC)
and the potential longer-term eects of SRC are growing, including the relationship with conditions
like dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Monitoring athletes and those who have suered SRC over
longer periods of time (known as longitudinal research) may allow for a deeper understanding of
the connections between SRC and brain health, as there is currently a lack of such studies to draw
upon. Findings from this project may guide the development of a larger, longitudinal multicenter
study looking at the eects of concussion in retired athletes.
Stakeholders will be invited to review the results of the feasibility study
to help inform and prioritize future global longitudinal concussion
research that addresses current gaps.
Plan and conduct a Global large-scale long-term study collecting long term data and biomarker
collection. Input from the Focus Study and the Focus Group sessions will help to shape the design
and endpoints of the study. We will be collecting blood samples for biomarker collection from
participants at multiple time points following a concussion. This will enable us to track the
trajectory of biological changes and identify novel biomarkers that may be indicative of short-term
and long-term outcomes.
What is the purpose of the study?
Phase 2 | The FOCUS Group Session(s)
Phase 1 | The FOCUS Study
Assessing the feasibility of digital app technology to monitor
sequalae of concussion in retired athletes
Who We Are
Study Objective
Phase
3
| Future G
l
oba
l
l
ar
g
e
-
sca
l
e
l
on
g-
ter
m
FOCUS Study
G
lobal
C
oncussion
C
onsortiu
T
eam
M
embers
Be a participant in the FOCUS Study, you are eligible to participate if:
You are 18 years of age or older,
You have previously played at least one competitive season at internationa
or national professional rugby, soccer/football, or elite intercounty-level Gaelic football,
You have sustained at least one sports-related concussive event during your professional or elite playing
career and have retired from this level of play
You consent to participat
You use your phone or tablet to access the app (Concussion Connect
to complete questionnaires over a four-week period
1.
Be a participant in the FOCUS Study, you are eligible to participate if:
You are 18 years of age or older,
You have previously played at least one competitive season at internationa
or national professional rugby, soccer/football, or elite intercounty-level Gaelic football,
You have sustained at least one sports-related concussive event during your professional or elite playing
career and have retired from this level of play
You consent to participat
You use your phone or tablet to access the app (Concussion Connect
to complete questionnaires over a four-week period
If you are a stakeholder (Professional Player Associations, Current and Former
Athlete, Sports Medicine Physician, Coach, Club Association, Not-for-Profits
associations, and Funders), participate in our future FOCUS Group Session to help
inform and plan future concussion research studies:
Contact us at m.matthews@ulster.ac.uk
2.
If you are a stakeholder (Professional Player Associations, Current and Former
Athlete, Sports Medicine Physician, Coach, Club Association, Not-for-Profits
associations, and Funders), participate in our future FOCUS Group Session to help
inform and plan future concussion research studies:
Contact us at m.matthews@ulster.ac.uk
H
ero image
Fo
ll
o
w
this
l
in
k
to start your participation
COO of AxialBridge & Global Stud
Project Manager
Sabrina Ramkellawan
C
E
O of AxialBridge
J
a
sp
reet Grewal
Reader at
U
l
s
ter
U
ni
v
er
s
it
y
Coac
E
ducation and Management
Ky
le
F
ergu
ss
on
F
ounder & Pre
s
ident of Medlio
H
ealt
h
Outcome
s
Re
s
earc
h
T
ara Cowling
Mark Matt
h
ew
s
L
ecturer in S
p
ort P
hys
iot
h
era
py
at
U
l
s
ter
U
ni
v
er
s
it
y
& Princi
p
al
I
n
v
e
s
tigator for t
h
e
F
ocu
s
Stud
y
Omic
s-
A
I
L
ead at AxialBridge
Omar
D
aba
sh
Senior
L
ecturer at
U
l
s
ter
U
ni
v
er
s
it
y
Conor McClean
