To study TBI, scientists often look at specific brain proteins called biomarkers. Biomarkers are a measure of a disease process, usually measured after focal injury. A typical biomarker would be the level of your blood glucose as a way to monitor diabetes. In TBI, the biomarkers we are interested in including tau proteins, glial fibrillary acidic protein, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1, neuron-specific enolase. All of these proteins are part of the molecular structures that make up brain cells in both humans and the animal models, like the wood that holds up the framework of a house. When someone goes through a trauma or injury, these brain proteins break apart, resulting in brain cell deterioration, breaking down the framework of the brain. Let us focus on the example of tau proteins. In brain cells called neurons, tau proteins help make up the structure of the long, thin arms of the cells, called axons, which communicate with other neurons. The deposition of tau disrupts communication between brain cells, which leads to disordered thoughts and behaviors. The buildup of tau leads to memory loss, slow movement, loss of intellect, and other devastating behavioral changes.

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