NOVEL BIOMARKERS AND THERAPEUTIC TARGETS FOR MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Concussion can create changes in the brain that may persist for longer than symptoms and make the brain vulnerable to repeated concussion. Nonetheless, clinical decisions on when it is safe to return to sport or duty rely on symptom resolution. This thesis investigated cellular and molecular changes in the brain after concussion and how these relate to brain vulnerability to repeated concussion. It found for the first time that blood measures of a protein called neurofilament light can be used to monitor recovery and brain vulnerability, and that blood measure of inflammatory proteins may be useful for indicating cumulative effects.