Our study examined how Event Related Potentials (ERPs) may be a potential biomarker for a history of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). 

Given a current lack of research on TBI biomarkers and on the ERP signatures of TBI, identifying a biomarker may allow clinicians to improve the diagnostic accuracy of TBI. It is also possible that putative TBI biomarkers may have implications for the detection of neurodegenerative diseases including CTE.

A three-tone auditory oddball task using an eight electrodes COGNISION™ rig was used in 137 participants from a memory disorders clinic with and without a history of TBI based on chart review and self-report. 

Our results showed that both P50 standard and target latencies were significantly different between the TBI and non TBI groups (p < 0.005 and p < 0.05). Both P50 target and standard latencies showed longer latencies in the TBI group. By performing two logistic regressions, we also found that both P50 latencies are significant predictors for the presence or absence of TBI.

P50 has been previously used to examine the ability of the brain to inhibit irrelevant sensory inputs, reflecting a preattentional inhibitory mechanism that could be protecting higher order cognitive functions. Our results, showing significant greater latency, are consistent with the idea that individuals with TBI have impaired preattentional inhibitory control.