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What's All The Fuss?
Concussion (mTBI) and, more broadly, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affect millions of people globally each year, with indirect impacts reaching an even larger population. While the issue has gained significant attention in the context of sports—especially in the NFL in the US and increasingly across various sports worldwide—TBI is, in reality, a daily concern in Emergency Departments (EDs) around the world.
At present, the diagnosis of TBI relies largely on subjective assessments of physical symptoms and patient-reported experiences. Clinicians typically use a combination of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), clinical indicators such as pupillary response, and CT scan results. However, these methods are estimated to be accurate in diagnosing TBI only about 37% of the time.
Researchers are exploring alternative, less invasive methods for diagnosing TBI, with biological biomarkers emerging as a promising avenue.
Glia, for example, is focusing on nucleic acid-based markers that have demonstrated exceptional sensitivity and specificity. These biomarkers offer significant potential, particularly for predicting outcomes such as Return to Play, Work, School, or Duty—the “holy grail” in TBI research.
Medicine, more broadly, is increasingly focusing on the brain. Growing recognition of psychological conditions like depression and anxiety, coupled with concerted efforts to tackle neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, is laying a strong foundation for the development of advanced TBI diagnostics.
From a practical standpoint, a blood-based pathology test is critical to addressing the social and financial burdens of TBI. However, it is equally important to develop Point of Care (PoC) tests at the "front line"—such as in emergency departments—to aid in rapid diagnosis and triage, helping to mitigate long-term effects and optimise recovery outcomes.
An internal injury with marked internal effects and external outcomes.