\u201cThe goal of a biomarker is to provide a reproducible and accurate indicator of a medical state,\u201d says Juliana VanderPluym, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic not involved in the study.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Biomarkers have numerous diagnostic applications. For example, lipid biomarkers (e.g. HDL and LDL) are frequently used to assess one\u2019s risk of heart disease. However, concussion biomarkers are in early stages of research. The present multi-center study examined several candidate biomarkers measured via blood samples from concussed athletes and non-injured controls.<\/p>\n
![\"Brain](\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/130\/321779822_190cc7c863.jpg\")
Image by moujemouje is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n
Concussion severity was associated with higher levels of the following biomarkers: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP<\/strong>), ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1<\/strong>), and tau<\/strong>. While the biomarkers are not yet diagnostic by themselves, more research could help physicians decide on difficult or unclear concussion cases.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Juliana VanderPluym notes that \u201cit is important to consider [biomarkers] as an aid, and not necessarily as the final determinant\u201d of a diagnosis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The study also compared biomarker levels in concussion patients with and without loss of consciousness (LOC) and posttraumatic amnesia (PTA). Concussions featuring LOC and PTA typically increase severity classification. In this comparison, GFAP levels were higher in concussed athletes with LOC or PTA than those with neither LOC nor PTA.<\/p>\n The research suggests a potential role of biomarkers in concussion diagnoses. Blood tests could help increase the certainty of the currently subjective diagnostic procedures. Further, biomarkers might also help gauge injury severity when other data\u2014such as neuroimaging\u2014come back normal.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Citation<\/u><\/p>\n