Leah’s thesis project is investigating a sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise intervention for improvement of symptom burden in adults with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS). In addition to clinical measures of symptom burden her project will investigate changes in blood biomarkers, such as BDNF, telomere length and sleep parameters. Data collection is ongoing. Leah is a member of the ICRP trainee committee.

Supervisors: Chantel Debert, Sean Dukelow

Laboratory: Debert Lab, Dukelow Lab University of Calgary

Funding:

ICRP Graduate Studentship (2019-2020)

Publications:

Mercier LJ, Kowalski K, Debert CT. The Relationship between Physical Activity, Depression and Symptom Burden in Individuals with Persistent Post Concussion Symptoms: A chart review. Published abstract in Brain Injury 2019, 33:sup1, 1-337, doi:10.1080/02699052.2019.1608747.

Paxman E, Stilling J, Mercier L, Debert CT. (2018). Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for Chronic Dizziness Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. BMJ Case Reports.; doi:10.1136/bcr-2018-226698.

Stilling, JM, Paxman E, Mercier LJ, Gan L, Wang M, Amoozegar F, Dukelow, SP, Monchi O, Debert CT. (2019) Treatment of persistent post-traumatic headache and post-concussion symptoms using rTMS: a pilot, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. J Neurotrauma.; doi:10.1089/neu.2019.6692.

Contact: leah.mercier@ucalgary.ca