K01 Menstrual Phase, Sexual Dysfunction, mTBI

The research plan aims to identify women at greatest risk for post-concussion sexual dysfunction (SD) by incorporating hormonal biomarkers as a novel risk stratification tool. Study participants will use the Ovia® digital reproductive health tracking application and other validated questionnaires to document sexual activities and covariates. Aim 1 tests the hypothesis that concussed women will have lower sexual function scores and fewer sexual encounters compared to women with extremity injuries at 1 and 3 months post-injury. Aim 2 investigates if women with mTBI injured during the luteal menstrual phase have a higher risk of SD than those injured during the follicular phase, and if this association is stronger for mTBI patients than for extremity-injured controls. The project also includes mentoring and training for the researcher to develop an independent research program in neurology and reproductive epidemiology.