Concussion Device Audiological Measures

Significant morbidity, mortality, and related costs are caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). A simple, effective, and lightweight device worn by athletes or war fighters in the field, designed to mitigate TBI resulting from blast trauma or concussive events, would save lives, and the huge costs currently being experienced for life-treatment of surviving victims. An externally-worn medical device that applies mild jugular compression according to the principle of the Queckenstedt Maneuver (the Device) is being developed by Q30 Labs, LLC (Q30). Initial research suggests that the Device has the potential to reduce the likelihood of TBI. The rationale for testing wideband absorbance and Oto-acoustics emissions (OAE) is that the investigators need a physiologic, non-invasive method to evaluate the brain responses to mild jugular compression across multiple age groups. To determine this with MR imaging is currently cost prohibitive. The investigators pilot data from the parent IRB indicates a consistent response measured via wideband absorbance in young adults. Therefore, a preliminary step to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the neck collar device is to employ this technology across a wide range of ages.