RETRO-TBI is a prospective cohort study designed to evaluate recovery trajectories across physical, cognitive, psychological, and sleep domains over 12 months following mild traumatic brain injury in adults aged 65 and older, with planned enrollment of 250 participants.
Older adults experience the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths of any age group, yet TBI remains understudied in this population.
The RETRO-TBI study is designed as a prospective cohort study with planned enrollment of 250 participants aged 65 and older with mild TBI.
The study evaluates recovery across four key domains: physical function, cognitive function, psychological function, and sleep quality.
Participants are followed for 12 months post-injury with in-home study visits at approximately 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months post-injury.
The study has three specific aims focused on identifying recovery trajectories and predictors of poorer recovery.
The RETRO-TBI study is expected to inform individualized treatment plans and development of future domain-based rehabilitation strategies for older adults with mTBI.
This paper describes the design and methods of a study called RETRO-TBI, which is investigating how older adults (age 65 and up) recover after a mild traumatic brain injury (such as a concussion). Despite older adults being the group most likely to be hospitalized or die from TBI, very little research has focused specifically on how they recover over time. The RETRO-TBI study plans to enroll 250 older adults with mild TBI and follow them for a full year after their injury, with researchers visiting participants in their homes at four time points: about 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after injury. Blood samples are collected at each visit, and recovery is measured across four areas: physical ability, thinking and memory, psychological wellbeing, and sleep quality. This research suggests that recovery from mild TBI in older adults is complex and may look very different from person to person. By tracking participants across multiple domains over a full year, the study aims to identify distinct patterns of recovery — for example, who recovers quickly versus who continues to struggle — and what factors predict a worse outcome. Understanding these patterns could help doctors and caregivers tailor treatment and rehabilitation to each individual's specific needs. The practical importance of this study is significant given the aging population and the high burden of TBI in older adults. This research suggests that by identifying which older adults are at greatest risk for poor recovery in areas like physical function, memory, mood, or sleep, future interventions could be designed to target those specific areas more effectively. The in-home visit design also makes the study more accessible to older participants who may have mobility limitations.
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Upload Your LabsAlbrecht J, Addison O, Badjatia N, Bahr-Robertson M, Grattan L, Gruber-Baldini A, et al.. (2026). Protocol for RETRO-TBI: A prospective cohort study of mild traumatic brain injury in older adults.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0350552