"Scientists from Childrens Health Research Institute a program of Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University have developed a new blood test that identifies with greater than  per cent certainty whether or not an adolescent athlete has suffered a concussion. Diagnosis of a clinically significant concussion or a mild traumatic brain injury can be difficult as it currently relies on a combination of patient symptom assessment and clinician judgement. Equally problematic are the decisions to stop play or activities or when patients who have suffered a concussion can safely return to normal activities without risking further injury.  In the new study researchers have demonstrated that a blood test can now accurately diagnose a concussion using a form of blood profiling known as metabolomics. Dr. Douglas Fraser a physician in the Paediatric Critical Care Unit at Childrens Hospital London Health Sciences Centre and Lawson scientist led the study with his coinvestigator Mark Daley a professor in the Departments of Computer Science Biology and Statistics  Actuarial Sciences at Western University.  In the relatively inexpensive test blood is drawn from an individual that may have suffered a concussion as the result of a sudden blow to the head or from transmitted forces from a sudden blow to the body within  hours of the incident. The scientists measure a panel of metabolites  small molecules that are the products of the bodys metabolism  in the blood to search for distinct patterns that indicate a concussion has occurred.  This novel approach to use blood testing of metabolites as a diagnostic tool for concussions was exploratory and we were extremely pleased with the robustness of our initial results says Dr. Fraser also an Associate Professor in Westerns Departments of Paediatrics Physiology  Pharmacology and Clinical Neurological Sciences at the Schulich School of Medicine  Dentistry. We looked at a host of patterns and it appears that those who suffered a concussion have a very different pattern than those who have not had a concussion. This new method fully funded by the Childrens Health Foundation and conducted by the Western Concussion Study Group is unique in that previous attempts have looked unsuccessfully for a single highly accurate protein biomarker that can distinguish concussed from nonconcussed adolescent patients.  In this latest successful attempt the researchers took a different approach and investigated a full spectrum of  metabolites.  We looked at all of these metabolites in concussed male adolescent patients and in nonconcussed male adolescent patients and it turns out that the spectrum is really different explains Daley who is also Westerns Associate VicePresident Research and a principal investigator at Westerns renowned Brain  Mind Institute. There is no one metabolite that we can put a finger on but when we looked at all of them those profiles are different enough that we could easily distinguish concussed patients from nonconcussed. In fact with fine tuning we can now look at sets of as few as  specific metabolites and maintain the diagnostic accuracy level of the test over  per cent.  Concussion is a major public health concern often resulting in significant acute symptoms and in some individuals longterm neurological dysfunction.  The discovery of a blood test that can aid in concussion diagnosis is very important says Dr. Fraser. With further research we anticipate that our blood test will also aid clinicians in predicting concussion outcome as well as aid rehabilitation after concussion.  The findings were recently published in the international journal Metabolomics. The technology is subject to a patent application filed through WORLDiscoveries the joint technology transfer office of Lawson and Western.  This relatively quick and inexpensive blood test for concussion is by far the most accurate reported with tremendous potential for clinical management and commercialization says Kirk Brown Manager of Business Development for Lawson.  MEDIA CONTACT Jeff Renaud Senior Media Relations Officer  ext.  jrenauduwo.ca mailtojrenauduwo.ca jeffrenaud Robert DeLaet Communications Associate Lawson Health Research Institute  ext.  robert.delaetlawsonresearch.com mailtorobert.delaetlawsonresearch.com ABOUT WESTERN  Western delivers an academic experience second to none. Since  The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with lifelong opportunities for intellectual social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with realworld application. Western attracts individuals with a broad worldview seeking to study influence and lead in the international community. 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Since  funds raised have helped deliver exceptional care and support for children and their families by providing specialized paediatric care equipment education programs therapy rehabilitation services and research. Get to know how you can help save and improve kids lives at http  Disclaimer AAAS and EurekAlert are not responsible for the accu"