What does the research say about blood-based biomarkers for concussion diagnosis and recovery?
Concussion diagnosis and return-to-play decisions currently rely heavily on subjective symptom reporting, creating a critical need for objective biomarkers. Dr. Goldman's work with the NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium has helped establish blood-based biomarkers as promising tools for understanding concussion pathophysiology. Our current study builds on this foundation by combining continuous wearable HRV monitoring via WHOOP with EyeSync oculomotor testing to develop data-driven return-to-play protocols.
McCrea MA, Shah A, Duma S, Rowson S, Goldman JT, et al.
CARE Consortium study of 504 collegiate athletes measuring GFAP, UCH-L1, NfL, and tau following sport-related concussion. Blood biomarkers demonstrated the ability to inform concussion pathophysiology and showed promise for future clinical applications in concussion identification and management.
View on PubMedGoldman JT, McCrea MA, Shah A, et al.
Extended blood biomarker findings from collegiate athletes to military populations. GFAP, UCH-L1, NfL, and tau were assessed in US military cadets following acute concussion during combative training. Results supported the use of blood biomarkers as research tools for concussion identification and recovery monitoring.
View on PubMedGoldman JT, McCrea MA, Broglio SP, et al.
Connected blood biomarkers to brain imaging changes over time. Total tau showed the strongest association with white-matter microstructural changes in the early phase of sport-related concussion, providing a critical link between peripheral biomarkers and central nervous system injury.
View on PubMed