Blood biomarkers for acute CNS insults: Traumatic brain injury and stroke

Abstract

Proteins that are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) are often detectable in peripheral blood and the search for biomarkers or biological signals for specific diseases and injury processes, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), has rapidly expanded. Currently no accurate biochemical assessment exists for objectively identifying the extent of damage following TBI. The ability to accurately determine the extent of initial severity of primary brain damage after TBI in the acute care setting is critical for the establishment of accurate neurologic prognosis and the guidance of appropriate therapeutic strategies (Nat Rev Neurol 9, 192-200, 2013; Neurotherapeutics 7, 100-114, 2010). This chapter will review the most current literature concerning the novel utility of blood biomarker assessment for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with TBI.