UCSF Doctors Pioneer Innovative Concussion Testing Method

Doctors at UCSF have created a novel method for assessing concussions and traumatic brain injuries.

Typically, physicians employ the Glasgow Coma Scale to classify TBIs into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe.

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We genuinely required a more effective method to describe this,” stated Dr. Geoff Manley, who leads as the chief neurosurgeon at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. “This necessity extends beyond research into immediately improving patient care.

The updated approach relies on multiple foundations. According to Dr. Manley, they will integrate brain scans along with blood tests and a patient’s medical background to assess the severity of their TBI.

“Usually, if your symptoms were minor and included just some lightheadedness, we’d let you go home,” he explained. “However, considering you’ve got elevated blood biomarkers along with a past record of such occurrences, I think it’s best to schedule further evaluation.”

Dr. Manley explains that the blood tests aim to check for a specific protein that originates solely from the brain and should not typically be detected in the bloodstream. Should this protein appear, it indicates an issue with their patient, necessitating further examination of the brain.

For instance, this patient's blood-based biomarker levels reached 300 even though the CT scan was described as 'normal'," he explained. "This individual sustained a brain injury.

He mentions that individuals flagged as mildly affected might experience prolonged issues such as memory lapses or difficulty concentrating. Conversely, those with more serious conditions could potentially fully recover. He emphasizes that establishing a superior technique for assessing these injuries would assist both himself and other practitioners in treating their patients effectively.

The brain is the most intricate organ within our bodies," he stated. "This will assist us in providing improved patient care, both instantaneously and throughout the following hours, days, weeks, months, and years.

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