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Traumatic Brain Injury

Among military service members, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often caused by explosions or other combat-related incidents. TBI can result in cognitive and emotional difficulties, including memory problems, difficulty with focus, and mood changes. Nearly 1 in 5 of the 2.5 million service members who served in Iraq or Afghanistan sustained at least one TBI, which is known as one of the “invisible wounds of war.” Unlike most physical injuries, it’s difficult to see and diagnose, but its impact on a Veteran’s mental health, cognition, mood, and social function can be significant.

TBI is a significant focus area for health systems research, which is multipronged and involves extensive partnerships and consortia with both government and non-government agencies. HSR researchers seek better tools for screening and diagnosis, and a better understanding of the spectrum of TBI effects and long-term neurological changes, while developing and evaluating interventions for TBI and co-occurring conditions such as polytrauma or PTSD.

Each section below is populated by a search of the HSR website. Search results are generated based on the search term "Traumatic Brain Injury" . Results are updated as new data are available.

VIEW: Citations | Publication Briefs | Studies | HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters | Cyberseminars | Videos | Podcasts | Other Resources



Citations

(recent TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY publications)



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Publication Briefs

(recent TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY Publication Briefs )


  • With Some Forms of Traumatic Brain Injury, Non-Deployed Veterans Have Higher Risk of Epilepsy than Deployed Veterans
    In this study, researchers reviewed the medical records of 938,890 post-9/11 Veterans with two or more years of care in VA and DoD health systems to examine associations of all TBI exposures and epilepsy among Veterans by deployment history. Findings showed that epilepsy was more common among non-deployed Veterans than among deployed Veterans (4% vs. 3%). Epilepsy risk for Veterans with moderate o...
    Date: November 29, 2023
  • Suicides Among Post-9/11 Veterans Surged from 2006–2020, Exacerbated by TBI
    This study examined trends in suicide rates from 2006–2020 for Veterans with and without TBI compared to the U.S. adult population. Findings showed that suicide rates among post-9/11 Veterans increased more than 10-fold from 2006–2020, a significantly greater rate of change than in the U.S. adult population. Veterans with TBI had suicide rates 56% higher than Veterans without TBI and three times h...
    Date: August 28, 2023
  • Traumatic Brain Injury May Be a Potentially Novel Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease in Veterans
    This study sought to determine the association between TBI and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in post-9/11 era Veterans. Findings showed that post-9/11 Veterans with mild TBI, moderate to severe TBI, and penetrating TBI were more likely to develop CVD compared to Veterans without TBI. Although the risk was highest shortly after injury, TBI remained significantly associated with CVD for ye...
    Date: September 6, 2022
  • Excess Mortality Rates among Post-9/11 Veterans Compared with General US Population, Particularly among Veterans with TBI
    This study sought to assess the total all-cause and cause-specific mortality burden – and to estimate the total number of excess deaths among post-9/11 Veterans with and without exposure to traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared with the total US population. Findings showed that post-9/11 Veterans experienced excess all-cause and cause-specific mortality compared with the total US population, which...
    Date: February 11, 2022
  • Evidence Review Identifies Modest Mortality Disparities among Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups in VA Healthcare
    To support VA’s efforts to better understand the scale and determinants of disparities in racial and ethnic mortality – and to develop interventions to reduce disparities, investigators from the VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program (ESP) Coordinating Center in Portland, OR conducted an evidence review of mortality disparities specific to VA. Findings showed that although VA’s equal access healthcar...
    Date: March 1, 2018

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Studies

(recent TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY projects )

Project No.  Title  PI  Funding End   
IIR 22-221 Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches to Improve TBI Outcomes in Veterans Zeng, Qing 2028-08-31
RCS 17-297 Research Career Scientist Award Pugh, Mary Jo 2028-06-30
IIR 21-239 Understanding CNS Stimulant Use and Safety in Veterans with TBI Faselis, Charles 2027-04-30
SDR 20-350 Assessing an Initiative to Facilitate Long-Term Financial and Housing Stability in Vulnerable Veterans Nelson, Richard 2025-09-30
IIR 16-089 Improving Access to Supported Employment for Veterans with Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury Pogoda, Terri 2025-03-31

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HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters

Evidence Brief - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (07-13-2021)

Chronic Pain in Veterans and Servicemembers with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review (10-02-2020)

Systematic Review - Chronic Pain in Veterans and Servicemembers with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (08-31-2020)

Evidence Brief: Traumatic Brain Injury and Dementia (03-20-2019)

Systematic Review - Relationship of Deployment-related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Suicidal Ideation, and Anxiety Disorders (03-11-2019)

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Cyberseminars

The most recent "Traumatic Brain Injury" seminars are displayed.
Date Title Presenter(s)
9/10/2024 Prevalence and Outcomes of TBI with Tinnitus among Veterans: Epidemiologic Data, Patient Experiences, and Clinical Perspectives Clark, Khaya  
Zaugg, Tara  
Carlson, Kathleen  
7/24/2024 Impact of Deployment Trauma on Photosensitivity and Visual Function Fortenbaugh, Francesca  
Gustafson, Jennifer  
11/7/2023 Vocational Rehabilitation for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury: A 10-year Multi-study Investigation Pogoda, Terri  
4/25/2023 Behavioral Dyscontrol After TBI Wortzel, Hal  
3/20/2023 Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias among Aging Veterans: Examining Gene-by-Environment Interactions with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury Logue, Mark  

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Videos

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Podcasts


There are currently no podcasts for this topic.

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Other Resources

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Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.