Novel Techniques in the Assessment of Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) or concussions are a substantial health concern, particularly in collision and contact sports. Consequently, there is growing concern regarding the acute and chronic effects of repeated brain trauma. Traditional assessment of mTBI has been based on clinical or computed tomography (CT) assessments followed by a period of in-hospital observation in some cases. These may have significant time and cost implications while potentially exposing patients to ionizing radiation and providing a low sensitivity and specificity. Recent advancements have focused on novel modalities that may potentially predict early and long-term sequelae from mTBI with greater accuracy and provide the optimum personalized treatment plan in collaboration with the athlete. This chapter will outline state of the art in these modalities, from salivary and blood biomarkers imaging and neuropsychology assessments, and discuss their translational applicability to the clinical setting.