Spit at the Pitch-Side: How Saliva Could Be Used to Diagnose Concussions
Written by Daria Beniakoff
Edited by Mckenna Ma
July 31st 2021
Edited by Mckenna Ma
July 31st 2021
Concussions and head injuries are a major concern in sports and are typically diagnosed through self-reported symptoms. A large percentage of concussions may be misdiagnosed or remain unidentified which leads to possible long-term effects on the health of athletes. Biomarkers could be useful in new, objective diagnostic tests to pick up on missed diagnoses of concussions or confirm clinical diagnoses.
A 2021 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at how small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in the saliva of sports athletes could be used to diagnose concussions from head injuries. SncRNAs are functional molecules that regulate cell processes and can be potential biomarkers for diagnosis because the body’s biological response to injury can cause changes in their expression. The study collected saliva samples from 1028 British rugby players during head injury assessments in-game and post-game and found that players with injuries resulting in concussions had significantly different amounts of 32 sncRNAs when compared to control group players. Out of the 32 sncRNAs found in saliva with significant expression changes, many have been previously associated with biological processes associated with concussions, such as brain inflammation. These sncRNAs were identified and used to create a predictive model to test whether a combination of changes to sncRNAs could predict a standard clinical diagnosis of a concussion. This model was tested on rugby players during the next season to determine its accuracy. The study narrowed down 14 sncRNAs which could be used as biomarkers and accurately predict a diagnosis of concussion for rugby players immediately after a game.
This study’s findings are important for the development of diagnostic tools for concussions and head injuries in athletes. The identification of concussion biomarkers in saliva opens up the possibility for a simple, non-invasive test for concussions that could be done during or right after a match. Currently concussions can go undetected, especially when players don’t experience symptoms after an injury or are not able to be examined by a professional. Although more research is needed to develop and test a widely accepted biomarker test for concussions, this study is a very promising start for easily accessible tests that more accurately identify concussions and protect athletes from long-term brain damage.