Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Anthony P. Kontos, PhD

  • Professor
  • Research Director, Concussion Research Laboratory

Dr. Anthony P. Kontos is Research Director for the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and Professor with tenure in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh. He has specialized in concussion research for 17 years and has 205 peer-reviewed publications and 360+ professional presentations. His research is funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and National Football League and focuses on active, precision treatments and clinical trials; risk factors; neurocognitive/neuromotor effects; psychological issues; and concussion in military, pediatric, and sport populations. Dr. Kontos is fellow and past-president of the Society for Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology of the American Psychological Association, and fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology, Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and Eastern Psychological Association. He co-authored (with Dr. Collins) Concussion: A Clinical Profile Based Approach to Assessment and Treatment.

Education & Training

  • PhD, Michigan State University
  • MS, Michigan State University
  • MA, Michigan Stage University
  • BA, Adrian College (MI)

Representative Publications

Since 2021:

  1. Ferris L, Port NL, Eagle S, Elbin RJ, Collins MW, Mucha A, Kontos AP. Predictive accuracy of the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 3 and Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening (VOMS) individually and in combination: An NCAA-DoD Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) consortium analysis. Am J Sports Med; 2021; Mar;49(4):1040-1048. Doi: 10.1177/0363546520988098. Epub 2021 Feb 18.
  2. Schmitt AJ, Beidler E, O’Connor S, Eagle S, Wallace J, Anderson M, Kontos AP.  Development and factor structure of the perceptions of concussion inventory for athletes (PCI-A). Brain Inj; 2021; Feb 23; 35(3):292-298. Doi: 10.1080/02699052.2020.1861655. Epub 2020 Dec 28.
  3. Eagle S, Collins MW, Dretsch M, Uomoto J, Connaboy C, Flanagan S, Kontos AP. Network analysis of research on mild traumatic brain injury during the past decade (2010-2019). J Head Traum Rehab; 2021; Sep-Oct 01;36(5):E345-E354. Doi: 10.1097/0000000000000675.
  4. Sherry N, Ernst N, French JE, Collins MW, Kontos AP. Performance validity testing in patients presenting to a specialty clinic with a mild traumatic brain injury. J Head Traum Rehab; 2021; Apr 30. Doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000692. Epub ahead of print.
  5. Kontos AP, Eagle SR, Marchetti G, Sinnott A, Mucha A, Port N, Ferris LM, Elbin RJ, Clugston J, Ortega J, Broglio SP, McAllister T, McCrea M, Pasquina P, Collins MW, CARE Consortium Investigators: Brooks A, Buckley T, Mihalik J, Miles C. Discriminative utility of VOMS in identifying concussed from healthy collegiate athlete controls: an NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium study. Am J Sports Med; 2021; Jul;49(8):2211-2217. Doi: 10.1177/03635465211012359. Epub 2021 May 12.
  6. Trbovich AM, Howie EK, Elbin RJ, Ernst N, Stephenson K, Collins MW, Kontos AP. The relationship between accelerometer measured sleep and next day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) symptom report during sport-related concussion (SRC) recovery. Sleep Health; 2021; Aug;7(4):519-525. Doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2021.03.006. Epub 2021 Apr 29.
  7. Eagle SR, Kontos AP, Collins MW, Mucha A, Holland CL, Edelman K, Benso S, Schneider W, Okonkwo DO. Targeted intervention improves symptoms and impairments in patients with mTBI with chronic symptoms: a prospective, multiple interventional research trial. J Spec Op Med; 2021; Summer; 21(2):61-66.
  8. Krieger D, Shepard P, Soose R, Puccio AM, Beers S, Schneider W, Kontos AP, Collins MW, Okonkwo DO. Symptom-dependent changes in MEG-derived neuroelectric brain activity in traumatic brain injury patients with chronic symptoms. Med Sci; 2021, 9(2): 1-30.
  9. Elbin RJ, Stephenson K, Lipinski D, Maxey K, Womble MN, Reynolds E, Covert K, Kontos AP. In-person versus telehealth for concussion clinical care in adolescents: A pilot study of therapeutic alliance and patient satisfaction. J Head Traum Reh; 2021; Jul 26. Doi: 10.1097/1097/HTR.0000000000000707. Epub ahead of print.
  10. Womble MN, Reynolds E, Kissinger-Knox A, Collins MW, Kontos AP, West RV, Eagle S, Elbin RJ. The emerging role of telehealth for concussion clinical care during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. J Head Traum Reh; 2021; Jul 26. Doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000713. Epub ahead of print. 
  11. Elbin RJ, Eagle SR, Marchetti GF, Anderson M, Schatz P, Womble MN, Stephenson K, Covassin T, Collins MW, Mucha A, Kontos AP. Using change scores on the vestibular ocular motor screening (VOMS) tool to identify concussion in adolescents. Appl Neuropsychol Child; 202; April 24:1-7; doi: 10.1080/21622965.2021.1911806. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33896282.
  12. Trbovich AM, Preszler J, Emami K, Cohen P, Eagle S, Collins MW, Kontos AP. Is overparenting associated with adolescent/young adult emotional functioning and clinical outcomes following concussion? Child Psych & Hum Dev; June 2021; Jun 16. Doi: 10.1007/s10578-021-01204-8. Epub ahead of print.
  13. Kissinger-Knox A, Eagle S, Jennings S, Collins MW, Kontos AP. Does time since concussion alter the factor structure of a multidomain assessment in adolescents? Child Neuropsy; 2021; Nov; 27(8):1104-1116. Doi: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1936475. Epub 2021 Jun 7.
  14. Lima Santos JPL, Kontos AP, Maillard S, Eagle SE, Holland CL, Suss SJ, Abdul-Waalee H, Stiffler RL, Bitzer HB, Blaney NA, Colorito AT, Santucci CG, Brown A, Kim T, Iyengar S, Skeba A, Diler RS, Ladoucer CD, Phillips ML, Brent D, Collins MW, Versace A. White matter abnormalities associated with prolonged recovery in adolescents following concussion. Front Neuro; 2021; June 24;12:681467. Doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.681467.
  15. Kontos AP, Monti K, Eagle SE, Thomasma E, Holland CL, Thomas D, Bitzer HB, Mucha A, Collins MW. False positive rates and associated risk factors on the VOMS and mBESS in U.S. military personnel. J Ath Train; 2021; Sep 3. Doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0094.21. Epub ahead of print.
  16. Kontos AP, Eagle SR, Holland CL, Thomas D, Hickey R, Santucci C, Collins MW. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with concussion presenting to a specialty clinic. J Neurotraum; 2021; 38 (20): 2918-2922. Doi: 10.1089/neu.2021.0203.
  17. Kontos AP, Eagle SR, Mucha A, Kochick V, Doman J, Moldolvan C, Holland CL, Blaney NA, Collins MW. A randomized controlled trial of precision vestibular rehabilitation in adolescents following concussion: Preliminary findings. J Peds; 2021; Aug 25: S0022-3476 (21) 793-799. Doi: 10.1016/j.peds.2021.08.032. Epub ahead of print.
  18. Eagle SR, Ferris L, Mucha A, Sinnott A, Marchetti G, Trbovich A, Port N, Clugston J, Ortega J, Buckley T, Mihalik J, Miles C, Collins MW, Broglio S, McAllister T, McCrea M, Pasquina P, Kontos AP. Minimum detectable change and false positive rates of the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) tool: An NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium analysis. Brain Inj; 2021; 35(12-13):1563-1568. Doi: 10.1080/02699052.2021.1973561.
  19. Kontos AP, Monti K, Eagle SR, Thomasma E, Holland CL, Thomas D, Bitzer HB, Mucha A, Collins MW. False positive rates and associated risk factors on the VOMS and mBESS in U.S. military personnel. J Ath Train; 2021; Sep. Doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0094.21. Epub ahead of print.
  20. Leonard BT, Kontos AP, Marchetti GF, Zhang M, Eagle SR, Reecher HM, Bensinger ES, Snyder V, Holland CL, Sheehy CK, Rossi EA. Fixational eye movements following concussion. J Vision; 2022; 21(13): 1-14.

Pub Med Link

 

Research Interests

Dr. Kontos' research focuses on active, precision treatments and clinical trials; risk factors; neurocognitive/neuromotor effects; psychological issues; and concussion in military, pediatric, and sport populations. 

 

 

Research Grants

National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Mental Health R01 Award (1R01MH114881-01)

Title: Emotion Regulation Circuitries in Youth with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. (Kontos AP, Versace A- M-PIs).
Role: M-PI
Effort: 10%
Dates: January 2018-December 2022

US Army Medical Research and Development Command CDMRP Fiscal Year 2017
Psychological Health and TBI Research Program Complex TBI
Rehabilitation Research-Clinical Trial Award (W81XWH-17-CTRR-CTA)

Title: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Precision Vestibular Rehabilitation in Military Personnel with mTBI (Kontos AP, Sparto P- M-PIs).
Role: M-PI
Effort: 20%
Dates: September 2018-August 2022

CDC Research on Improving Pediatric mTBI Outcomes Through Clinician Training, Decision Support, and Discharge Instructions U01 Award (U01CE002944-01)

Title: Active Injury Management (AIM) after Pediatric Concussion (Thomas D, Kontos AP- M-PIs).
Role: M-PI
Effort: 20%
Dates: September 2018-August 2022

National Football League Scientific Advisory Board – Innovative Translational Research on Concussion and Comorbid Conditions

Title: Prevalence of Brain Health versus Neurodegeneration in Professional Football Retirees (Okonkwo DO, Lopez O, Collins MW, Kontos AP, Mountz J- M-PIs)
Role: M-PI
Effort: 10%
Dates: November 2018-October 2022

Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research (0001)

Title: Toward the identification of saliva biomarkers predicting the clinical course and outcome of adolescents with mild traumatic injury (Versace A- PI)
Role: Co-I
Effort: 5%
Dates: February 2019-January 2021

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- through Henry Jackson Foundation- Transforming Technology for the Warfighter Program (Department of Defense) 

Title: Rapid objective analysis of impairment and recovery from mild traumatic brain injury (Balaban C, Kontos AP, Hoffer M- M-PIs).
Role: M-PI
Effort: 15%
Dates: December 2020-November 2023

US Army Medical Research and Development Command CDMRP Fiscal Year 2019
Psychological Health and TBI Research Program Joint-Program Committee 8/Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program Rehabilitation Research-Clinical Trial Award (W81XWH2010745) 

Title: Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Targeted Multidomain (T-MD) Interventions for Complex mTBI (Kontos AP, Okonkwo DO, Collins MW- M-PIs).
Role: M-PI
Effort: 20%
Dates: September 2020-August 2023

Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research (0011)

Title: Saliva biomarkers to predict pediatric concussion subtypes (Kontos AP, Collins MW, Master T- M-PIs)
Role: Co-I
Effort: 5%
Dates: February 2021-January 2023

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (2R44HD097039-02) 

Title: Rapid Saliva test for diagnosis of persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCS) (Southern S, Kontos AP- Co-PIs)
Role: Co-PI
Effort: 10%
Dates: September 2021-August 2023