Brain Injury, Sleep and Cognition - Untangling the long term Impact of childhood TBI

The BISCUIT study explores how childhood head injuries impact sleep, thinking processes (e.g., attention), and behaviour. Our research is dedicated to finding out how these changes affect the daily life for children and teenagers, with the ultimate goal of making the recovery journey better for all families who have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its challenges.

The study is led by researchers and clinicians from Queen Mary University of London and University College London, and is generously funded by Barts Charity.

Welcome to the BISCUIT Study!

What We Do

Our research invites children and teenagers who have had a traumatic brain injury, as well as those who have experienced an orthopaedic (bones, muscles) injury not involving the head, to take part. We use simple at-home sleep tracking measures, fun thinking skills activities, and questionnaires to form a clear picture of how these experiences impact sleep and daily life.

By comparing the head injury and the orthopaedic group, we aim to discover which challenges are unique to head injuries, and learn how best to support children, teens, and families during recovery.

Who we are

Our interdisciplinary team includes psychologists, paediatric neurologists, and researchers with expertise in neurodevelopment, brain injury, sleep and child cognition.

 FAQs

    • Children and adolescents who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as those who have experienced an orthopaedic injury not involving the head.

    • Children and adolescents in the same age range who have had an orthopaedic injury not involving the head (control group).

  • The study will take part across two sites, the Child Development Lab at Queen Mary University of London and the Wolfson Centre at University College London.

    Details of the sites can be found here

    Some parts of the study, such as wearing a sleep monitor and completing sleep diaries and questionnaires, will be completed at home.

    • Tailored assessments on thinking skills and behaviour

    • Wearing a small device to monitor sleep for about a week

    • Completing diaries and short questionnaires about sleep, daily habits, and wellbeing

    • Option to share your thoughts in focus groups about what support would help after a head injury

    For more detailed information please visit Participation