microRNA biomarkers in traumatic brain injury: A new narrative

Insufficient tools exist to aid the diagnosis and clinical management of traumatic brain injury. Emerging evidence suggests that measurement of micro ribonucleic acids may be used to guide identification of mild traumatic brain injury, and support prognoses for patients across a range of traumatic brain injury severity. Micro-ribonucleic acids are small, non-coding nucleic acids that control translation of specific proteins in response to environmental conditions, such as traumatic brain injury. They may be released from neurons and glia as a signaling tool following traumatic brain injury. Packaged within protective vesicles, or exosomes, extracellular micro-ribonucleic acids may experience perturbations after traumatic brain injury that convey information about the severity of injury, or the trajectory of brain recovery. Here, we discuss the current state of scientific knowledge regarding micro-ribonucleic acid biomarkers in traumatic brain injury, identify specific micro-ribonucleic acids with the greatest physiologic potential, and chart future directions to advance this budding field.