Concussion and Its Rehabilitation

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurorehabilitation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 355

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Neurosciences, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, NHS Trust, Leeds LS97TF, UK
Interests: concussion; mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI); post-concussion syndrome (PCS); repetitive head injury; sports-related concussion; military-related concussion; biomechanics of concussion; neuroinflammation; axonal injury; metabolic crisis; neurovascular dysfunction; biomarkers; blood biomarkers; CSF biomarkers; imaging biomarkers; clinical assessment; neuroimaging; MRI; DTI; fMRI; MEG; electrophysiology; EEG; QEEG; evoked potentials; neurocognitive testing; digital diagnostics; eye-tracking; multidisciplinary rehabilitation; physical therapy; vestibular rehabilitation; cognitive rehabilitation; occupational therapy; speech and language therapy; pharmacological interventions; non-invasive brain stimulation; TMS; tDCS; pediatric concussion; adolescent athletes; female athletes; military personnel; veterans; older adults; return-to-play; return-to-learn; return-to-work; recovery trajectories; risk factors for prolonged symptoms; chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE); digital health tools; tele-rehabilitatio
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Guest Editor
Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania
Interests: neuropsychiatry; oxidative stress; models

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Concussion, a form of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), represents a major public health concern due to its high incidence and potential for long-term symptoms, including cognitive, emotional, and physical impairments. Although traditionally considered a transient injury, a significant subset of patients experiences prolonged recovery, highlighting the need for improved understanding and targeted rehabilitation strategies.

This Special Issue seeks to consolidate current research and clinical advancements in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of concussion. Emphasis will be placed on the pathophysiological mechanisms of injury, identifying predictive factors for recovery, and developing innovative neurorehabilitation techniques and interdisciplinary approaches to managing persistent symptoms.

We welcome contributions exploring neuroimaging biomarkers, digital and wearable technologies, neurocognitive therapies, exercise-based interventions, and AI-driven diagnostic tools. Studies focusing on vulnerable populations, such as athletes, military personnel, and children, are particularly encouraged.

Original research articles, systematic and narrative reviews, case series, and clinical trials are all welcome, particularly those addressing mechanisms, rehabilitation strategies, and translational neuroscience in the context of concussion.

Dr. Ioannis Asterios Mavroudis
Dr. Alin Stelian Ciobică
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • concussion
  • mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)
  • post-concussion syndrome
  • neurorehabilitation
  • brain injury recovery
  • cognitive impairment
  • sports-related concussion

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

14 pages, 611 KB  
Review
Hybrid Evidence-Informed Synthesis of Resting-State Functional Connectivity Alterations in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
by Ioannis Mavroudis, Foivos Petridis, Alin Ciobica, Roxana O. Cojocariu, Dimitrios Kazis, Ahmed Adel Mansour Kamar, Cătălina Ionescu, Diana Gheban, Catalin Morosan, Bogdan Gurzu, Otilia Novac and Bogdan Novac
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(6), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16060557 (registering DOI) - 23 May 2026
Abstract
Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is frequently followed by persistent cognitive, affective, and sensory complaints despite unremarkable conventional structural imaging. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has been increasingly employed to detect subtle alterations in large-scale brain networks. However, variability in analytical approaches [...] Read more.
Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is frequently followed by persistent cognitive, affective, and sensory complaints despite unremarkable conventional structural imaging. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has been increasingly employed to detect subtle alterations in large-scale brain networks. However, variability in analytical approaches and the potential influence of neurovascular factors complicate interpretation of BOLD-derived connectivity findings. Objective: This study provides a focused, evidence-informed synthesis integrating umbrella review principles with a targeted narrative analysis of recent high-quality rs-fMRI studies in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Rather than a comprehensive systematic review, the aim was to identify convergent patterns of network dysfunction while critically examining methodological constraints, including neurovascular confounds and variability in analytical approaches. Conclusions: This synthesis supports a network-level model of mTBI characterized by distributed connectivity disturbances. However, given the limited number of eligible studies and substantial methodological heterogeneity, findings should be interpreted as qualitative convergence rather than quantitative generalization. Future longitudinal, multimodal, and standardized imaging approaches are required to clarify the translational relevance of rs-fMRI findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Concussion and Its Rehabilitation)
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