Physicians now able to diagnose brain injury without scanning

Scientists have found inflammatory biomarkers. On their basis it is possible to create a test. In the first hours after an accident this test will show whether the brain is injured, The Indian Express reports. Such test would be very useful for sports and ambulance doctors.

As it turns out when the brain injured some quite early changes in inflammatory proteins can be seen. In total, three markers of traumatic brain damage (CST5, AXIN1 and TRAIL) were identified. CST5 marker helped to find patients with severe brain damage within the first hour after getting the trauma, as well as AXIN1 and TRAIL additionally helped to distinguish traumatized people from the others.

Markers were detected in blood samples taken from 30 injured patients during the first hour before patients were taken to the hospital. According to the researchers, the detected markers will show people who are at risk of secondary brain damage (when due to trauma the primary lesions spread to other structures and cause cellular death).

Source: The Indian Express