New Biomarkers Make Detection Of Brain Injuries Incredibly Quick

Brain injuries are the hardest to detect and can have serious, if not life threatening implications for the victim. Scientists have successfully discovered inflammatory biomarkers which can identify and detect whether the brain has suffered injury within initial hours of the trauma inducing accident. The procedure can be carried out at the site of the accident, be it a sports pitch or alongside heavy traffic on the road. Alongside its progressive aid in drug development for trauma induced injuries, it also provides us with a quick diagnosis which is an essential factor in saving lives when the brain is concerned.

"TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among young adults and, according to the World Health Organisation, by 2020 TBI will become the world's leading cause of neurological disability across all age groups," said Lisa Hill, from the University of Birmingham.

The three biomarkers which have been identified are- CST5, AXIN1 and TRAIL. CST5 helps to identify if the patient has brain injury and the latter two, AXIN1 and TRAIL, help to distinguish the type of brain injury. The advantages don't just end here, the detection of the initial injury will help in the prevention of others which generally follow.

"Early and correct diagnosis of traumatic brain injury is one of the most challenging aspects facing clinicians," said Hill. "Being able to detect compounds in the blood which help to determine how severe a brain injury is would be of great benefit to patients and aid in their treatment," she said.

With inputs from IANS

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