Blood Test for Concussion

Mar-19-14 A blood test able to detect the severity of a concussion could help prevent athletes from getting back in the game too soon.

The test, developed by a team from the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden, was created in response to the large number of hockey players who suffered a concussion over the past season (35 of 288). The players who received a concussion provided blood samples immediately after the injury and a few days later, and these samples were then compared to the samples taken from the two full teams before the season began.

By comparing the samples, the research team was able to demonstrate that a special nerve cell protein, called tau, was at elevated levels in the concussed players’ blood. This biomarker can be measured by a standard blood test just one hour after the injury, and the team believes the severity of the concussion can be determined by the amount of tau in the blood. Additionally, the amount of tau also accurately predicts which players will suffer from long-term symptoms and should rest longer.


Image: Jason Antony

More Info about this Invention:

[GIZMAG.COM]
[SAHLGRENSKA ACADEMY]

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