Biomarker levels and neuroimaging for detecting, monitoring and treating brain injury or trauma

A method of neuroimaging the brain of an individual suspected of having mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or a concussion, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) measuring levels of one or more biomarkers associated with brain injury selected from Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), Neurogranin (NRGN), Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE), Oligodendrocyte Myelin Glycoprotein (OMG), and Synuclein Beta (SNCB) in a biological sample obtained from an individual who has sustained or who is suspected of having sustained a brain injury;
• (b) detecting an altered level of the one or more biomarkers relative to respective control levels;
• and
• (c) when the levels of one or more of the biomarkers are altered relative to respective control levels, neuroimaging the blood brain barrier (BBB) of the individual for changes in vascular permeability and/or damage to the fiber tracts relative to the BBB vascular permeability and/or the fiber tracts, respectively, of a healthy brain.

A method of monitoring the brain of a patient who has sustained or is suspected of having sustained a brain injury, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) measuring the level of one or more biomarkers selected from the group consisting of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), Neurogranin (NRGN), Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE), Oligodendrocyte Myelin Glycoprotein (OMG), and Synuclein Beta (SNCB) in a sample obtained from the patient at a first time point;
• (b) measuring the level of the one or more biomarkers in a sample obtained from the patient at a second time point subsequent to the first time point;
• and
• (c) neuroimaging the blood brain barrier (BBB) of the brain of the patient at the second time point if the levels of one or more of the biomarkers at the second timepoint are altered relative to the levels of the same biomarkers at the first timepoint.

A method of treating a subject having or suspected of having mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) measuring the level of Oligodendrocyte Myelin Glycoprotein (OMG) biomarker in a biological sample obtained from the subject relative to a control level;
• (b) if the level of OMG is altered relative to the control level, neuroimaging blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability signals in the brain of the subject to detect changes in vascular permeability in a BBB area relative to a healthy individual;
• and
• (c) treating the subject for mTBI concussion if the level of the OMG biomarker is increased relative to the control level or if changes in vascular permeability in a BBB area are detected.