Exploring the Role of Biomarkers in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a global public health challenge lasting more than 3500 years, can be linked to a greater probability of morbidity and mortality. It may contribute to psychiatric and neurological diseases, making it a recognized incident of injury and a 'disease process'. TBI is categorized into two stages: primary injury and secondary injury, and it is categorized into three levels: severe, moderate, and mild. Clinical assessment of TBI patients includes neuroimaging, assessment of the patient's state of consciousness, pupil examination, and evaluation of the cranial nerves. However, these assessments do not provide enough detail about the underlying mechanisms of TBI. Biomarkers have been extremely beneficial in the development of a wide range of clinical conditions, such as those in the fields of cardiology, cancer, hematology, and infectious diseases. This research examines six biomarkers with potential as prognostic and diagnostic indicators of TBI. The biomarkers are S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), tau, neurofilament light chain (NF-L), and ubiquitin c-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1). These biomarkers are found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with TBI. The use of these biomarkers has shown their ability to assist in the early detection and assessment of disease severity, along with clinical prognosis after TBI. Furthermore, these biomarkers show a significant level of sensitivity in the detection of TBI, therefore limiting the need for unnecessary neuroimaging. This research also highlights the limitations and challenges associated with these biomarkers. Ultimately, the primary objective of this research is to provide a thorough understanding of traumatic brain injuries and their diagnosis using biomarkers.