# Driving after Concussion: Examination of the Adolescent Brain and Behaviors

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $62,252

## Abstract

Summary
The population of adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) has increased by nearly
65% since 2010. Like their healthy peers, adolescents with CHD may seek independence from
their parents. Many pursue graduated drivers licensing (GDL) and experience newfound
freedoms of independent driving. Driving is a complex task that relies on cognitive control and a
high level of executive function. Motor vehicle crashes are common among adolescent first-year
drivers. Crashes may be due in part to immature executive functioning. This immature function
may be more profound among adolescents with CHD because they often have disease-related
neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. This presents a constellation of deficits similar to
concussed adolescents. Therefore, risk for MVCs and related morbidity and mortality may be
higher among concussed adolescents and adolescents with CHD. However, little is known
about the association between complications of CHDs during adolescence and initial driving
habits. This Administrative Supplement for R01NR018425 integrates a qualitative exploration of
barriers and facilitators to safe independent driving from the perspective of adolescents with
CHDs and parents (Aim 1) to address a critical gap in research and clinical practice. Aim 2
includes mentored training embedded in the Parent Grant that will help catalyze research
training to set the stage for independent funding in the adolescent CHD population for the
postdoctoral candidate. This Administrative Supplement is innovative because Aim 1 addresses
a gap in scientific literature specific to initial driving experiences and builds upon the small body
of literature that examines risk-taking behaviors among adolescents with CHD. Aim 2 provides
an opportunity for the postdoctoral candidate to pursue conceptual and technical training in
fNIRs during driving simulation, on-road data collection and ecological momentary assessment
among concussed adolescents, as well as an opportunity to consider feasibility among
adolescents with CHD in future research. This Administrative Supplement for R01NR018425
advances the field of pediatric cardiac research by identifying the types of driving behaviors and
risks that adolescents with CHDs engage in and can be used as an example to describe
similarities and differences when compared to adolescents without chronic cardiac disease. This
mentored postdoctoral fellowship establishes an innovative foundation for future research
initiatives that address the impact of risk-taking behavior on physiologic well-being in
adolescents with CHD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10552399
- **Project number:** 3R01NR018425-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Catherine Claire McDonald
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $62,252
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-04-03 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10552399

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10552399, Driving after Concussion: Examination of the Adolescent Brain and Behaviors (3R01NR018425-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10552399. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*