FAQ’s

Millions of people in the U.S. suffer a concussion each year, but more than half of people who suspect they have a concussion never get it checked. Ignoring the signs of a concussion can lead to serious health risks and complications. Plus, repeated concussions can have long-term consequences on your health; so, it’s important to know if you or a loved one has suffered a concussion. When in doubt, get it checked out.

It’s best to have your injury checked out by a provider ASAP. Providers can use the concussion blood tests to help assess your condition and determine the best next steps. Because of how serious concussions can be if left untreated, you should get tested any time you think you or a loved one may have suffered one.

Brazos Neuroscience provides a convenient and completely mobile service and will manage the end-to-end specimen collection process anywhere in the United States. Our patients are scheduled within 24 to 48 hours of requesting a test. Then one of our phlebotomist’s will come to a location convenient to the patient to complete the blood draw.

Results are available and shared with the patients Provider within 7 days.

Our test is 99% sensitive and 93% specific for neuronal and glial damage from biomechanical injury to the brain.

False positives may occur in patients with ongoing damage from dementias such as Alzheimer’s Disease and from Parkinson’s Disease, as well as sleep apnea and exposure to known neurotoxic substances such as pesticides, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, low molecular weight hydrocarbons, and other environmental contaminants.

False negative cases in patients with symptoms usually represent injuries that are resolved: for example, the optimal moment of neuroplasticity enabling recovery may have passed and the patient has entered a period refractory or slowly responsive to primary treatment. These patients benefit from different interventions that help them cope or compensate with permanent deficits. Documentation of a resolved permanent injury may additionally require imaging studies and neurocognitive testing.

The Neuro-Trauma Assessment Test™ has been validated of injuries four years post injury. This is consistent with published results demonstrating the persistence of neurocognitive and neurobehavioral symptoms up to seven years post injury in up to 30% of patients.

Although we can perform our test anytime after a brain injury, the best time for a baseline analysis after the acute period is 3 weeks after the event and then after 6 months have elapsed while the patient still has symptoms. Times greater than 6 months reflect a transition from the post-acute period to the long-term period of recovery.

Yes. Patients with a history of multiple brain traumas typically present with very high levels of our biomarkers or, if a baseline level is taken, and a patient has another injury, we can track the additional injury load of this second event and track its resolution or progression.

Our test is approved by the CLIA (Clinical laboratory Improvement Act - 42 CFR 493), through the State of Texas, and the College of American Pathology as a Laboratory Developed Test. It is not yet approved by the FDA and such approval is not required for its use in patients. Additionally, the application of these biomarkers is supported by leaders in the field of TBI and the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine “Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury A Workshop” published 2023, and supported by the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the Dept. of Defense and Dept. of Veterans Affairs, AARP, and the National Health, Transportation, and Safety Administration.

Our test can be used for the full spectrum of biomechanical trauma to the brain. This includes direct compression, angular or rotational shear stress, penetrating injuries, or blast injuries from explosives or change in pressure. These types of injuries occur every day in motor vehicle crashes, falls, criminal assaults, sports injuries, military action or training, and occupational events.

Our test requires an order from a licensed physician or clinical provider such as a nurse practitioner. Typically, these are neurologists, psychiatrists, neurosurgeons, chiropractors, and physical medicine and rehabilitation providers, but primary care physicians also play a critical role in managing the large burden of TBI in our society.