Australian team creates blood test for concussion in seniors
Researchers at Monash University have developed a blood test designed to detect concussion in adults over 60, a group most at risk of severe complications from head injuries, Qazinform News Agency cites Xinhua.
Elevated levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were found in blood plasma of patients aged 60–84 who had sustained concussions.
GFAP provides an objective biomarker, offering a more accurate diagnostic tool than patient self-reporting.
Diagnosing concussion in older adults is difficult due to overlapping aging symptoms such as memory loss, fatigue, and poor concentration.
Patients often cannot recall injury events clearly, complicating traditional diagnostic methods.
The new blood test could be applied in hospitals, clinics, and emergency response settings.
Gershon Spitz, senior research fellow at Monash, noted that current diagnosis relies heavily on patient accounts, which can be unreliable.
Professor Biswadev Mitra of Alfred Hospital emphasized that early detection in emergency departments could help reduce risks of further falls and improve recovery outcomes.
Earlier Qazinform reported, a simple blood test may one day help detect depression before symptoms fully develop, according to new research from New York University.