Tom De Pauw

The focus of this research will be to address this gap in the field and study the impact of physical activity on various aspects of social cognition. Impacts on cognition and physical health will also be investigated. Our hypothesis is that the increase in physical activity will lead to an increase in social cognition measures, community participation, a decrease in symptoms of depression and an increase in health outcomes. More importantly, we expect an increase in social cognition without conducting a specific program for social cognition. We wish to assess the minimal level of physical activity required for change in social cognition and determine the required frequency to effect this change.

The research is a novel study providing pilot data for future research investigating the use of a physical activity to treat social cognition. This study may also lead to future research collaborations with other teams. This could contribute to cost-effective community-based programs. Primarily, our research will show the degree to which physical activity can influence social cognition, without direct intervention on social cognition. By conducting this research, we can contribute to better outcomes for people with TBI and expand current treatment methods. Given the outcome of this research, we can expand the research to web-based programs for both physical activity and social cognition programs, leading to reduced patient costs and a decrease in pressure on the healthcare system.