A new brain study may help explain the puzzling symptoms suffered by so many combat veterans. The symptoms once were called "shell shock" and they have been consistent in war after war: headaches, difficulty concentrating, sleep disorders, memory problems, depression and anxiety. The modern term is traumatic brain injury or TBI. Researchers at the at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in Maryland have found a unique pattern of scarring in the brains of men who died days or years after being in or near powerful explosions. The researchers are hoping to find a way to see the same damage in veterans who are still alive and to look for ways to help them. A summary of the June 9, 2016 journal article is available on the Lancet Neurology website.
For more on traumatic brain injuries and treatment options, see this Military.com section.
