Sarah Karlekar
Class of 2026Somerset, NJ
About
Hello! I'm Sarah Karlekar, a junior at the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. My passionate interest in neuroscience and aspiration to pursue a healthcare career have motivated me to undertake a research project. This initiative focuses on investigating the long-term impacts of concussions on young people with autism.Projects
- "What are the long term effects of concussions on autistic youth?" with mentor Sehjoo (May 9, 2024)
Project Portfolio
What are the long term effects of concussions on autistic youth?
Started Aug. 11, 2023
Abstract or project description
Concussions, a type of traumatic brain injury, are infamous for their instant effects of dizziness, fatigue, and mental confusion. What stays obscure are the long-term developmental damages of concussions on the brain. This review explores the long-term effects of concussions on autistic youth, an especially vulnerable group that not only faces inherent challenges that differentiate them from neurotypical youth but also has an additional challenge when affected by a concussion. This paper chooses to focus on autistic youth as there are a myriad of inherent differences between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and neurotypical children. These differences mean that there will be a variety of different parts of the brain affected, and a multitude of different behavioral tendencies as well. My review paper will answer the following questions: What parts of the brain do concussions affect the most? How is the development of each of these parts effected by concussions? What are the long term developmental damages on the brain as a result of concussions?