Study: Bomb blasts may cause early aging in brains of troops. What are your thoughts?

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:06:32 -0400

"VA scientists have discovered signs of early aging in the brains of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans caught near roadside bomb explosions, even among those who felt nothing from the blast.

‘Generally as we age, the connections (in the brain) deteriorate. But with those people with blast exposure it appears as though it's happening faster,’ said Benjamin Trotter, a bio-medical engineer with the Department of Veterans Affairs and lead author of the study.

Regina McGlinchey, a Harvard Medical School professor of psychology, VA scientist and study co-author, said the concern is that ‘what we generally see in older people in terms of declines in executive function, memory and planning would be happening at an earlier age.’

Equally troubling is the lack of awareness of a blast injury. Many veterans studied said they never felt concussion-like symptoms such as dizziness, headaches or loss of consciousness. Others complained of those symptoms, but eventually saw them go away and military doctors concluded they had fully recovered.

Yet in both cases, brain scans years later showed signs of degeneration and early aging."

Have you had any experience with this? If so, how has it affected your service?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/01/veterans-tbi-blast-aging-brain-damage/27971927/

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2015 4:58 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 04:58:08 -0400

I was near several IED's during my first trip over. I am not sure, but i dont think i am having any of those things going on. But who knows, i will mention it to my Dr next trip, if i remember too.

Response by Maj Allen Bruce Childress, Jr. made Jun 8 at 2015 10:55 PM

Maj Allen Bruce Childress, Jr. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:55:32 -0400

After 9 years on active duty as an EOD Officer and then 13 years as a Safety Manager at an ammunition plant where I did all of the demolition and then 13 years working as a UXO Technician finding and blowing up unexploded ordnance, I don't feel that my memory is any worse then other 73 year olds.