The NERD model: reflex circuit dysfunction as a systems-level driver of persistent post-concussion symptoms
Matthew M. Antonucci, Kenneth Jay · 2026
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Description
Matthew Antonucci and Kenneth Jay propose a network model for lasting symptoms after concussion, in a paper published in 2025. Such symptoms are often blamed on diffuse harm to the cortex. The authors argue that this view misses how lower brain circuits drive the whole system.
Their NERD model links five nodes: a sensory interface, a reflex and brain stem hub, the cerebellum, a basal ganglia and thalamus unit, and the cortex. Reflex circuits steer posture, orientation, and body tone, and are tuned by higher nodes. Harm to any node, or to the links, can distort signals and loop into poor adaptation. The authors note the model guides their clinic work but still lacks formal testing.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Matthew M. Antonucci, Kenneth Jay |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 133 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |