Concussion: Answers in the Blood?

First Aired November 10, 2015

In the sports world, while concussion awareness is on the rise and current diagnostic protocols are improving, concussion diagnosis still relies heavily on symptoms and self-reporting by athletes. Now, a team of scientists at the University of Montana is attempting to develop a blood test to provide a definitive diagnosis for concussions.

It can happen to anyone at any age.

The Center for Disease Control estimates nearly four million people suffer a concussion each year in the United States. Potentially ground breaking research is taking place in Montana. A team of scientists is attempting to find critical information in human blood. How will their work impact the current system of dealing with concussions? In the sports world, concussion awareness is on the rise and current protocols are much better than even a decade ago. But this system still relies heavily on symptoms and self-reporting. The scientists hope to develop a diagnostic tool to help provide more definitive information for the diagnosis and treatment of concussions. This program provides an inside look at the science while at the same time following athletes and trainers as they navigate the current protocol.

Educational Guides

• Concussion: Answers in the blood? Guides (High School)

These four lessons follow two athletes as they experience concussions, the researchers at UM who are working on finding a definitive marker to determine whether or not a student is experience effects from a concussion, and a final one that illustrates the emotional behavior changes that might accompany a concussion.