Exploratory Analysis of Concussion Recovery Trajectories using Multi-modal Assessments and Serum Biomarkers

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomarkers
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) often leads to long-term impairment, necessitating improved tools for assessing recovery.
• Understanding individual recovery trajectories is crucial for accurate prognosis and clinical management of mTBI.
• Current assessment methods lack comprehensive analysis of recovery patterns over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the recovery trajectories of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients.
• To incorporate individual response heterogeneity into mTBI outcome prediction.
• To establish a baseline for developing a mTBI recovery timeline model.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of recovery metrics from baseline to six months post-injury.
• Utilized neurocognitive assessments, postural stability tests, and serum biomarkers.
• Data sourced from FITBIR, comparing concussed subjects with a matched control group.

Main Results:

• Significant differences observed in GFAP biomarker levels between mTBI and control groups early post-injury.
• Key neurocognitive measures including balance, memory, orientation, and concentration showed early divergence from controls.
• Identified distinct recovery trajectories influenced by individual patient responses.

Conclusions:

• Early post-mTBI, specific biomarkers (e.g., GFAP) and clinical measures (balance, memory, orientation, concentration) differ significantly from controls.
• This study provides critical insights into mTBI recovery patterns, informing clinical decisions.
• Findings support the development of a mTBI recovery timeline model to aid clinicians in prognosis and return-to-play decisions.