Evidence-based Assessment and Active Treatment of Concussion: The Central Role of Neuropsychology

 
Gerard Anthony Gioia, PhD
Division Chief (Emeritus), Pediatric Neuropsychology
Director, Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program
Children's National Hospital
Professor, Depts of Pediatrics and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Past President & Fellow, Sports Neuropsychology Society
Fellow, APA Div. of Clinical Neuropsychology
Chair, Medical Advisory Panel, USA Football

Dr. Gioia is the founder and former chief of the Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology at Children’s National Hospital, where he continues as the director of the SCORE Concussion Program. He is a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine. He is an active clinician who treats children, adolescents and young adults with concussion/ mild TBI and other neurological disorders. His areas of research involve the development of measures that better define outcomes of various neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, including the executive functions and concussion recovery in children and adolescents. He has worked with the CDC for the past 20 years on their “Heads Up” concussion educational toolkits and participated in their 2018 evidence-based systematic review and guideline development of pediatric mild TBI. Dr. Gioia has participated in the International Concussion in Sport Group Consensus meetings and American Academy of Neurology Sports Concussion Guideline panel. He leads the Medical Advisory Panel for USA Football and is on their Board of Directors with a focus on the implementation of the Football Development Model. He is also on the Sport Science & Safety Committee of USA Lacrosse. He provides concussion management services and consultation to youth, high school, college, and professional teams. He is a past President and Fellow of the Sports Neuropsychology Society, and a Fellow of the APA Society of Clinical Neuropsychology (Div. 40).

Learning Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of the underlying neuropathophysiology of concussion and its typical recovery trajectory

2. Access the latest guidelines on evidence-based assessment of concussion management and its relationship to treatment

3. Analyze and apply evidence-based treatment protocols for symptom management and recovery

4. Identify and apply the latest data on Return to School/ Sport/ Risk recommendations following injury