Dr. Amelia Versace: Saliva Biomarkers in Adolescents

Dr. Versace speaking at a Chuck Noll Foundation event in Naples, FL | March, 2023

Dr. Versace is using what is called a biomarker to predict the clinical course and outcome of adolescents with a mild traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion.  In order to assess these biomarkers she is analyzing their presence in an adolescent’s saliva. So really the question is, “Can saliva from a concussed teenager tell us if there is an abnormality in the brain’s white matter?”  That very question is what Dr. Versace and her team at Pitt are looking to determine. Why? Because the research can help us determine if salivary mRNAs can detect a correlation of anxiety in teenagers who suffered a concussion. 

Based on early findings from dozens of 12-17 year olds, it appears that:

• Female teenagers report higher anxiety symptoms up to three months longer than male teenagers; and,

• The further along a teenager is in puberty, show a lower level of symptoms than those just entering puberty.

What does all of this mean?  It means: a) we are on the cusp of identifying the accurate use of saliva as a biomarker, b) that concussed teenagers may need anxiety and depression therapies while also recovering from a concussion, and c) it reinforces that men and women are different.

Chuck Noll Foundation board members and staff with Dr. Versace at an event in Naples, FL | March, 2023

(L-R: Merril Hoge, Bob Denove, Dr. Amelia Versace, John Denny, and John Siebart)

The Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research is proud to support Dr. Versace’s important work.