A new blood test can tell doctors whether a person has suffered a concussion（脑震荡）up to a week after he or she was
injured.
People who suffer a head injury should rest soon after they are hurt. Doctors say rest is important in helping the brain
to heal after the injury. Individuals who have suffered a concussion do not always show symptoms. Experts say those
warning signs can be delayed, especially in children.
A concussion can lead to a feeling of dizziness, headaches and an inability to sleep. These problems can exist for a long
time. Some concussion patients have experienced loss of memory, trouble thinking and feelings of anxiety.
Doctors at Orlando Health System in Florida developed the new blood test. It shows if a biomarker（生物标记）is
present in a person’s blood. The biomarker is called glial fibrillary acidic protein（胶质原纤维酸性蛋白）, or GFAP. The
protein is only found in the brain and nervous system after a person suffers a concussion.
Researchers examined the blood of 600 patients. They found the biomarker in the blood of those who had suffered a
head injury.
Concussion is a common injury in contact sports. A blood test soon after a head injury could show if an athlete has
suffered a concussion. Without the test, sports team officials may not know whether the player has a concussion and may
return him or her to the game.
