NIH funds research on biomarkers that could predict persistent symptoms

By Henry Petrini. This article was initially published in our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.

A large-scale research project to study biomarkers that may predict delayed recovery in children and adolescents aged 11-18 was awarded $10 million by the National Institutes of Health. According to a UCLA press release, the research project (entitled CARE4Kids) will observe over thirteen hundred children and teens nationwide. The research will be conducted by a dozen institutions, including the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Children’s National, Seattle Children’s, etc. CARE4Kids will use brain imaging and blood tests to measure various biomarkers within its subjects, “including those related to changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and pupil reactivity.” This testing aims to find biomarkers that predict the likelihood of persistent post-concussion symptoms in children and teens after a concussion. 

“Using objective tests to predict recovery accurately can lead to earlier, more effective interventions and serve as a foundation for innovative new treatments,” according to Dr. Chris Giza, co-leader of the study and professor of neurosurgery and pediatrics at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “Nearly one-third of the 3 million Americans diagnosed annually with concussions” experience symptoms lasting for three months or more after a concussion. Persistent symptoms include “chronic migraines, learning and memory problems, exercise intolerance, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.” According to Giza, the risk of delayed recovery after a concussion is particularly high in adolescents, explaining the need for a more comprehensive study of their response to concussions. 

The study will have two parts. The first part will observe different biomarkers potentially indicative of persistent post-concussion symptoms in youth and adolescents diagnosed with a concussion. The second part will monitor those biomarkers in a second group diagnosed with concussions to see whether they can accurately predict prolonged symptoms. The goal of the study, according to Giza, is to develop a “practical algorithm” that can be used in clinical and healthcare settings to better care for youth diagnosed with concussions.

For more information, see our page on Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms.