AUSTRALIA (CU)_ concussions have been a major stumbling block particularly in certain contact sports such as rugby and boxing. Scientists at the University of Queensland are currently seeking rugby and basketball players from schools to volunteers for brain scans in attempts to develop a blood test for concussions.
The project is conducted by the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland together with World Rugby, Rugby Australia, Qscan, Trajan and Sonic Health, which will use advanced brain imaging, blood analysis and cognitive testing to identify biomarkers indicating concussion‐induced brain changes.
Biomarkers have been gaining more prominence in recent times with their use in diagnosing, predicting, monitoring and prognosis among others. Biomarkers can include DNA, RNA, protein and have been used to diagnose a variety of conditions such blood pressure and heart conditions, cancer and infectious diseases.
Fatima Nasrallah the Associate Professor leading the study stated that blood tests could have a significant effect on sport across the world and identifying a biomarker that accurately shows the brains response and recovery from concussions will be a gamechanger for the sport.
Rough sports such as rugby and American football and boxing see frequent concussions, often impacting the game and health of the players. Nasrallah further stated that producing field‐side tools to inform diagnosis and the action needed in real‐time can help determine when a player can return to the game or sit out and further added that finding a biomarker and developing a simple point‐of‐care tool can have a significant impact on the safety of sports.
Sporting bodies across the nation take an ‘if in doubt, sit them out’ measure towards potential concussions according to the Concussion in Sport Australia guidelines.
Dr Éanna Falvey who is the World Rugby Chief Medical Officer, was optimistic about the study and stated that it could have huge potential if they bring in blood a test that can indicate concussion in the game further stating that its implications would be positive not just for rugby but all sport.
