Researchers identify blood biomarkers that may help diagnose, confirm concussions

Irvine: Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, Georgetown University and the University of Rochester have found that specific small molecules in blood plasma may be useful in determining whether someone has sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly known as a concussion. The article, “Plasma metabolomic biomarkers accurately classify acute mild traumatic brain injury from controls,” is now online at the PLOS One journal. Six specific small molecules from blood plasma were discovered in a group of college athletes who had been diagnosed with concussions. When these molecules were assessed, their combined presence accurately predicted whether teammates had sustained a mTBI or not. This suggests that these small molecules, and possibly others, might be clinically relevant biomarkers of mTBI. The same six biomarkers were then tested in a separate group of individuals, without and with mTBI, and the results replicated the athlete findings.

Biomarker in blood may help predict recovery time for sports concussions

NIH: Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that the blood protein tau could be an important new clinical biomarker to better identify athletes who need more recovery time before safely returning to play after a sports-related concussion. The study, supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) with additional funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), published online in the Jan. 6, 2017 issue of Neurology (link is external), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Brain Changes Seen in Youth Football Players Without Concussion

Wake Forest; Researchers have found measurable brain changes in children after a single season of playing youth football, even without a concussion diagnosis, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. According to USA Football, there are approximately 3 million young athletes participating in organized tackle football across the country. Numerous reports have emerged in recent years about the possible risks of brain injury while playing youth sports and the effects it may have on developing brains. However, most of the research has looked at changes in the brain as a result of concussion.

Concussions are Treatable, More Research Needed

Pittsburgh : Concussions, often viewed by the public as dire and perplexing, can be effectively treated despite their complexity, according to experts from around the U.S. in a Statement of Agreement available online and published in the December issue of the journal Neurosurgery.

 

In October, 2015, leading concussion clinicians and researchers gathered at UPMC in Pittsburgh for the “Targeted Evaluation and Active Management” (TEAM) symposium, an unprecedented meeting and white paper designed to propose and share nationally the participants’ agreement on the best practices, protocols and active therapies for treating concussions.

Brain Injury Patterns Linked to Post-concussion Depression and Anxiety

RSNA: A new MRI study has found distinct injury patterns in the brains of people with concussion-related depression and anxiety, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. The findings may lead the way to improved treatment and understanding of these common disorders, researchers said.
Post-concussion psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety and irritability can be extremely disabling for those among the nearly 3.8 million people in the United States who suffer concussions every year. The mechanisms underlying these changes after concussion—also known as mild traumatic brain injury—are not sufficiently understood, and conventional MRI results in most of these patients are normal.

Study explores development of epilepsy after brain injury

Newcastle: Scientists at Newcastle University will carry out a pioneering study to look at the development of epilepsy following a serious brain injury. Epilepsy can be triggered after traumatic brain damage such as a stroke, head trauma and some infections, yet no-one knows why some people go on to develop the life-threatening condition and others do not. A team at Newcastle University has now been awarded more than £147,000 from leading charity, Epilepsy Research UK, to study epileptogenesis – a term used to describe how epilepsy arises after an injury to the brain.

Combining impact sensors with blood samples to determine the effects of concussion on rugby players

London: A team of UCL researchers have joined the ongoing Saracens study for the 2015/16 season, which combines impact sensors with blood samples to determine the effects of concussion on rugby players. In January, following an approach from James Drake of The Drake Foundation to set up a research project to study the effects of concussion, Saracens players began wearing impact sensors produced by X2 Bio-systems in Seattle which measure the force and direction of impact to the head. The Drake Foundation have now extended the funding of the study so that from the start of the new Aviva Premiership season, players’ blood samples will be analysed to detect biomarkers associated with brain injury.

Study Examines Incidence of Concussion in Youth, High School, College Football

JAMA: A slight majority of concussions happened during youth football games but most concussions at the high school and college levels occurred during practice, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics. Football is a popular youth sport with approximately 3 million youth athletes, 1.1 million high school athletes and 100,000 college athletes playing tackle football each year. A report on concussion by the Institute of Medicine highlighted the need for more extensive data on incidence in athletes from youth to college.

Women Show Persistent Memory Impairment after Concussion

RSNA: Women may have a more difficult time than men in recovering from concussion, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), is a common medical problem affecting cognitive function and quality of life in some individuals. In most cases, patients who experience MTBI will recover fully, typically within three months. Ten to 15 percent of MTBI patients will continue to experience persistent disabling problems beyond three months, which can include post-traumatic headache, sleep disturbance, loss of balance, memory and other cognitive impairments, fatigue, and mood or affective disorders.

Study finds characteristic pattern of protein deposits in brains of retired NFL players who suffered concussions

UCLA: A new UCLA study takes another step toward the early understanding of a degenerative brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which affects athletes in contact sports who are exposed to repetitive brain injuries. Using a new imaging tool, researchers found a strikingly similar pattern of abnormal protein deposits in the brains of retired NFL players who suffered from concussions.

Head injury patients show signs of faster ageing in the brain

Imperial College: People who have suffered serious head injuries show changes in brain structure resembling those seen in older people, according to a new study. Researchers at Imperial College London analysed brain scans from over 1,500 healthy people to develop a computer program that could predict a person’s age from their brain scan. Then they used the program to estimate the “brain age” of 113 more healthy people and 99 patients who had suffered traumatic brain injuries.

More research needed on brain damage in American football

BMJ: More research is needed to identify how athletes sustain brain injury from American football, and also to develop strategies to protect them, write experts in The BMJ today. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative syndrome that can affect athletes. It is thought to result from concussion and brain injury following repeated blows to the head. But the topic of brain damage in football is controversial. The National Football League, for example, does not acknowledge any association between football and brain injury.

Cerebral Blood Flow as a Possible Marker for Concussion Outcomes

JAMA: A new imaging study suggests that cerebral blood flow recovery in the brain could be a biomarker of outcomes in patients following concussion, according to a study published online by JAMA Neurology.

Repeated head blows linked to smaller brain volume and slower processing speeds

British Medical Journal: Repeated blows to the head sustained during serial boxing or martial arts tournaments are linked to smaller volumes of certain parts of the brain and slower processing speeds, reveals research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Study of Former NFL Players Reveals Specifics of Concussive Brain Damage

Johns Hopkins. US: A team of Johns Hopkins specialists, using a battery of imaging and cognitive tests, has gathered evidence of accumulated brain damage that could be linked to specific memory deficits in former National Football League (NFL) players experienced decades after they stopped playing the game.

High School Football Players Show Brain Changes after One Season

Radiological Society North America. US: High school football players may develop impact-related brain changes over the course of a single season. Players who experience higher levels of head impacts show the most changes, even in the absence of concussion. It remains unclear whether or not these changes will be associated with any negative long-term consequences.