A simple saliva swab may hold the key to diagnosing and managing mild traumatic brain injury (i.e. concussions), according to a recent study published in the journal Clinical and Translational Medicine.  The study, supported by a sponsored research agreement between Quadrant Biosciences and the Penn State College of Medicine, found that a saliva test demonstrated similar diagnostic accuracy to neurocognitive and balance tests commonly used today, and greater diagnostic utility when combined with standardized symptom assessment.  

This was a multi center collaborative study involving researchers from Penn State College of Medicine, SUNY Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine,  SUNY Upstate Medical, and Quadrant Biosciences among others. In the paper titled "Diagnosing mild traumatic brain injury using saliva RNA compared to cognitive and balance testing,” the researchers also suggest that the saliva test may have additional clinical utility in predicting the type and duration of symptoms.

Anytime we can use accurate, objective measures to guide medical care, I think that represents an opportunity to improve concussion treatment.”
Steve Hicks MD, PhD  - principal author on the study

This is a follow up to our earlier research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics back in 2018, that identified a panel of small, non-coding RNA molecules in the saliva that acted as a "molecular signature" to not only diagnose concussion, but predict the duration and character of concussion symptoms. 

Read our press release about this exciting study here!