NIH BIOSKETCH

INSTITUTION AND LOCATIONDEGREE (if applicable)  Completion Date MM/YYYY  FIELD OF STUDY  
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MIB.S.12/1970Education
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MIM.A.08/1972Counseling and Personnel
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, INM.A.06/1990Counseling Psychology
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, INPh.D.12/1993Counseling Psychology
Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NHPostdoctoral09/1994Neuropsychology

A.        Personal Statement
My research and clinical program, primarily focused on traumatic brain injury, has included work in biological and biomechanical markers of concussion using multiple modes of assessment including fMRI, biosalivary markers, actigraphy, helmet-mounted accelerometers, and neuropsychological testing. I also have extensive experience in this field as I directed a pediatric neuropsychology service in a large tertiary care teaching hospital from 2004 to 2014 and have participated in six multisite clinical trials in various roles (investigator, site PI, and technical expert, and as a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist). I have been providing assessment, consultation, and expertise to more than 30 concussion management programs for youth leagues, schools, colleges, and professional teams. Some of my past and current work includes founding the New Hampshire Advisory Council on Sports Concussions, a founding member and now Emeritus Research Director of Big Ten/CIC-Ivy League Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research Collaboration, a member of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, past member of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Brain Injury Specialists for the Brain Injury Association–USA, board member of the Nebraska Brain Injury Association/Alliance, and member of the Nebraska Concussion Coalition. I am happy to contribute as a to this project and feel that my prior experience will be helpful to the design and implementation of the work and its future directions.

  1. Maerlender A, Nelson JM, Honaker JA. Developing a data repository of standard concussion assessment clinical data for research involving college athletes. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2016;38:950-57. PMID: 27396292. doi:10.1080/13803395.2016.1178214.
  2. Bellamkonda S, Woodward SJ, Campolettano E, Gellner R, Kelley ME, Jones DA, Genemaras A, Beckwith J, Greenwald RM, Maerlender A, et al. Head impact exposure in practices correlates with exposure in games for youth football players. J Appl Biomech. 2018 Oct 1;34(5):354-360. PMID: 29651910. PMC6600826. doi:10.1123/jab.2017-0207.
  3. Maerlender A, Masterson C, Caze T, Calvi J, Mathiasen R, Molfese D. Sleep and stress in the acute phase of concussion in youth. Sport Med Health Sci. 2020 Jun;2(2):109-114. doi:10.1016/j.smhs.2020.06.003.
  4. Maerlender A, Smith E, Brolinson PG, Crisco J, Urban J, Ajamil A, et al. (2020). Neuropsychological change after a single season of head impact exposure in youth football. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2020 Aug 7;1-11. PMID: 32762785. doi:10.1017/S1355617720000685.

B.                      Positions and Honors
Positions

1999–2002Pediatric neuropsychologist Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
2003–2014Director, Pediatric Neuropsychology Department of Psychiatry, Geisel/Dartmouth Medical School Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
2010–2014Ivy League Leader, Big 10–Ivy League TBI Research Collaboration
2011–2013Chair, Education Foundation, New Hampshire Psychological Association
2014–2017Associate Director, Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Director of Clinical Research Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, UNL
2014–2017Director of Research, B1G 10–Ivy League TBI Research Collaboration
2017–PresentResearch Associate Professor UNL
2017–PresentEmeritus Research Director, B1G 10–Ivy League TBI Research Collaboration
2017–PresentVisiting Professor in Psychology, St. Anselm College, NH (2021-2022) &
Affiliate Associate Research Professor, Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, UNL

 

Honors

1987-92Graduate Scholarship Award, University of Notre Dame
2011–2013Institute of Medicine Committee on Youth Concussions in Sport
2014Safe Sports Star of the Year, New Hampshire Safe Sports Network and NH Musculoskeletal Institute
2018Emeritus B1G 10 Researcher, B1G 10–Ivy League TBI Research Collaboration
2019B1G 10–Ivy TBI Research Collaboration award for service and leadership
  1. C.   Contributions to Science
    Psychometric test development and analysis. In the former, I was a co-author of the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children, 4th Edition, Integrated (the neuropsychological process tests that were part of the WISC-IV), the Global Assessment of School Functioning (GASF), the Better or Worse Index (BoWI), and the Developmental Reading Fluency Test (DRFT). We are currently developing the Brief Attention and Reaction Time Test (BARTT), which is a 4-minute continuous performance test for concussion screening.

    1. Maerlender A, Masterson CJ, James TD, Beckwith J, Brolinson PG, Crisco J, et al. Test–retest, retest and retest: Growth curve models of repeat testing with Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2016 Oct;38(8):869-874. PMID: 27266563. PMCID: PMC4962874. doi:10.1080/13803395.2016.1168781.
    1. Masterson C, Maerlender A. Confirmatory factor analysis of two computerized neuropsychological test batteries: Immediate post-concussion assessment and cognitive test (ImPACT) and C3 logix. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2019 Nov;41(9):925-932. PMID: 31379257. doi:10.1080/13803395.2019.1641184.
    1. Maerlender A, Palamara J, Lichtenstein J. The Global Assessment of School Functioning (GASF): Criterion validity and interrater reliability. Psychol Sch. 2020;57(6). doi:10.1002/pits.22365.
    1. Maerlender A, Smith E, Brolinson PG, Urban J, Rowson S, Ajamil A, et al. Psychometric properties of the standardized assessment of concussion in youth football: Validity, reliability, and demographic factors. Appl Neuropsychol Child. 2020 Mar 6;1-7. PMID: 32142619. doi:10.1080/21622965.2020.1726746.

2. Biomechanical studies. As a member of this Bioengineering Research Partnership group, I have been involved in studies of biomechanics and cognition spanning two R01 grants, as a mentor for a COBRE grant (Movement variability, cortical activation and cognitive load in ankle stability: Rosen PI), and a consultant to validate a safer tackling method in football (Atavus, Inc) to validate a safer football tackling method.

  1. Maerlender, A., Masterson, C., Norris, R., Hinthorne, A. (2020). Validating tackle mechanics in American football: improving safety and performance. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, DOI: DOI 10.1007/s10439-020-02625-7
  2. Maerlender, A. Smith, E., Brolinson, P.G., Urban, J., Rowson, S., Ajamil, A., Campolettano, E.T., Kelley, M.E., Jones, D., Powers, A., Beckwith, J., Crisco, J., Stitzel, J.,  Duma, S., Greenwald,  R.M. (2020). Neuropsychological change after a single season of head impact exposure in youth football. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. doi:10.1017/S1355617720000685
  3. Rosen, A., McGrath, M., Maerlender, A. (2020). Males with Chronic Ankle Instability Demonstrate Deficits in Neurocognitive Function Compared to Control and Copers. Research in Sports Medicine, DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2020.1723099.
  4. Campolettano ET, Gellner RA, Smith EP, Bellamkonda, S., Tierney, C.T., Crisco, J.J., Jones, D.A., Kelley, M.E., Urban, J.E.., Stitzel, J.D., Genemaris, A., Beckkwith, J.G., Greenwald, R.M., Maerlender, A., Brolinson, P.G., Duma, S.M., Rowson, S. (2020). Development of a Concussion Risk Function for a Youth Population Using Head Linear and Rotational Acceleration. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 48(1), 92-103. doi:10.1007/s10439-019-02382-2
  5. Rosen, A., Yentes, J.M., McGrath, M.L., Maerlender, A.C., Myers, S.A., Mukherjee, M. (2019). Alterations in Cortical Activation Among Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability During Single-Limb Postural Control. Journal of Athletic Training, 54, doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-448-17.
  6. Bellamkonda, S., Woodward, S.J., Campolettano, E., Gellner, R., Kelley, M.E., Jones, D.A., Genemaras, A., Beckwith, J., Greenwald, R.M., Maerlender, A., Rowson, S., Duma, S.M., Urban, J.E., Stitzel, J.D., Crisco, J.J. (2018). Head impact exposure in practices correlates with exposure in games for youth football players. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 34, 354-360.
  7. Rosen, A., Than, N., Smith, W.Z., Yentes, J.M., McGrath, M.L., Mukherjee, M., Myers, S.A., Maerlender, A. (2017). Attention is associated with postural control in those with Chronic Ankle Instability. Gait and Posture, 54, 38-43.
  8. Wilcox, B, Beckwith, JG, Greenwald R, Raukar, NR, Chu, JJ, McAllister, TW, Flashman, L, Maerlender, AC, Duhaime, AC,Crisco, JJ (2015). Biomechanics of Head Impacts Associated with Diagnosed Concussion in Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Players. Journal of Biomechanics,
  9. Rowson, S., Duma, S., Greenwald, R, Beckwith, J., Chu, J., Guskiewicz, K., Mihalik, J., Crisco, J., Wilcox, B., McAllister, T., Maerlender, A., Broglio, S., Schnebel, B., Anderson, S., Brolinson, P.G. (2014) Can helmet design reduce the risk of concussion in football? Journal of Neurosurgery, Published online January 31, 2014; DOI: 10.3171/2014.1.JNS13916.
  10. Wilcox, B., Crisco, J.J., Beckwith, J.G., Greenwald, R., Chu, J., Duhaime, A-C., Flashman, L., Maerlender, A., McAllister, T. (2014). Head Impact Exposure in Male and Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Players. Journal of Biomechanics, 3, 109-114.
  11. MacAllister, T.W., Ford, J.C., Flashman, L., Maerlender, A. Greenwald, R., Beckwith, J., Tosteson, T.D., Turco, J. Raman, R., and Jain, S. (2014).  Effect of head impacts on diffusivity
  12. Duhaime AC, Beckwith JG, Maerlender AC, McAllister TW, Crisco JJ, Duma SM, Brolinson PG, Rowson S, Flashman LA, Chu JJ, Greenwald RM. (2012). Spectrum of acute clinical characteristics of diagnosed concussions in college athletes wearing instrumented helmets. Journal of Neurosurgery, 117(6), 1092-9.
  13. McAllister, T., Flashman, L., Maerlender, A. et al (2012). Cognitive effects of one season of repetitive head impacts in collegiate contact sport athletes. Neurology, 78, 1777-1784.
  14. Brainard, L, Beckwith, J.G., Chu, J.J., Crisco, J.J., McAllister, T.W., Duhaime, A.C., Maerlender, A., and Greenwalld, R. (2012). Gender differences in head impact sustained by collegiate ice hockey players. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 44, 297-304.
  15. Rowson S, Duma S, Beckwith J, Chu J, Greenwald R, Crisco J, Brolinson P, Duhaime A-C, McAllister T, and Maerlender A. (2012). Rotational Head Kinematics in Football Impacts: An Injury Risk Function for Concussion. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 40(1), 1-13
  16. Crisco, J.J., Wilcox, B.J., Beckwith, J.G., Chu, J.J., Duhaime, A.C.,  Rowson, S., Duma, S.M., Maerlender, A.C., McAllister, T.W., Greenwald, R.M.  (2011). Head impact exposure in collegiate football players. Journal of Biomechanics, 44, 2673-2678.

3. Traumatic Brain Injury. I was a founding member and now the emeritus research director of the B1G 10–Ivy League TBI Research Collaboration and was on the board of the Academy of Brain Injury Specialists (Brain Injury Association USA). As the original Director of Clinical Research at the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3), I was instrumental in operationalizing the imaging program and proposed longitudinal monitoring as a component of the Athlete Data Repository for UNL Athletics. I have been active in developing standards for diagnosis and management of concussion including several grant-funded projects and multiple publications, including three books related to defining the competencies needed for concussion management. Our paper on physical exertion in the immediate post-concussion phase was the first randomized clinical trial on the effects of exertion. We have also been interested in the effects of anxiety and anxiety sensitivity in recovery, and the effects of concussion on sleep. We have recently published the first evidence of the effects of subconcussive exposure in youth football (ages 9–10). The study of biomechanical determinants of concussion has been a longstanding effort with multiple publications. We have completed multiple grant-funded projects with many publications since 2010.s

  1. MacAllister TW, Ford JC, Flashman LA, Maerlender A, Greenwald R, Beckwith J, et al. Effect of head impacts on diffusivity measures in a cohort of collegiate contact sport athletes. Neurology. 2014 Jan 7;82(1):63-69. PMID: 24336143. PMCID: PMC3873621.
  2. Maerlender A, Rieman W, Lichtenstein J, Condiracci C. Programmed physical exertion in recovery from sports-related concussion: A randomized pilot study. Dev Neuropsychol. 2015:40(5):273-278. PMID: 26230745. doi:10.1080/87565641.2015.1067706.
  3. Campolettano ET, Gellner RA, Smith EP, Bellamkonda S, Tierney CT, Crisco JJ, Jones DA, Kelley ME, Urban JE, Stitzel JD, Genemaris A, Beckwith JG, Greenwald RM, Maerlender AC, et al. Development of a concussion risk function for a youth population using head linear and rotational acceleration. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Jan; 48(1):92-103. PMID: 31659605. PMCID: PMC6928097. doi:10.1007/s10439-019-02382-2.
  4. Lichtenstein J, Maerlender A, Parent-Nichols J. Concussion competencies: A framework for school-based concussion management. Cambridge, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing; 2020.

D.        Additional Information: Research Support and/or Scholastic Performance

Ongoing Research Support

1R01AG064247-01                                                                                        Warren (PI)                                                                                         2019–2024

National Institutes of Health–National Institute of Aging

Measuring Neurodevelopmental Effects of Polygenetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease Via Longitudinal Study of Brain and Cognitive Variables in Preadolescent Children

The goal of this work is a longitudinal study of cognition and imaging of children with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

Role: Consultant

Completed Research Support

1R01NS094410-01A1                                                                                    Duma (PI)                                                                                                       2015–2020

National Institutes of Health – National Institute of Child Health and Development

Biomechanical Basis of Pediatric mTBI Due to Sports-Related Concussion
The goal of this project was to conduct multisite assessments of youth football players using helmet-mounted sensors in practices and games with pre- and post-season neuropsychological testing.
Role: Consultant

(Internal Grant)                                                                                                           Maerlender (PI)                                                                                   2015–2017

Nebraska Research Initiative
Interdisciplinary–Intracampus Investigation into the Neurophysiological and Neuropsychological Effects of Concussion in School-Aged Children

The goal of this project was to conduct in-home assessment of acute pediatric concussion patients utilizing actigraphy, biosalivary measures and behavioral ratings.

Role: PI

%d bloggers like this: