A new study links higher blood levels of a brain protein called tau to longer periods of recovery for athletes. The researchers suggest that tau may serve as a marker to help assess athletes' readiness to return to play.
injured footballer on bench
The researchers suggest that adding measures of blood tau to current clinical assessments might help us make better return-to-play decisions and prevent players resuming contact sports while their brains are still healing.

The researchers - including members from the University of Rochester School Medical Center (URMC) in New York - report their findings in the journal Neurology.

A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results either directly from a blow or jolt to the head, or indirectly from a strike to the body that results in the head and brain moving back and forth rapidly.

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