“ The results suggest experiencing a TBI, including a mild concussion, may help identify veterans at risk of faster aging.”
Traumatic Brain Injuries Linked to Faster Aging
“ The results suggest experiencing a TBI, including a mild concussion, may help identify veterans at risk of faster aging.”
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Post 9 / 11 veterans who sustained one or more traumatic brain injuries show faster biological aging compared to veterans without a TBI, according to new research published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. In more than 1,000 veterans studied, deployment-related traumatic brain injuries had stronger links to accelerated aging than injuries outside military service, particularly among women. More recent injuries also showed stronger associations with aging than injuries prior to military service.
“ This is one of the first studies to examine whether traumatic brain injury is associated with biological aging broadly, and the results suggest experiencing a TBI, includ- ing a mild concussion, may help identify veterans at risk of faster aging,” says lead author Kyle Bourassa, Ph. D., staff psychologist in Research Service at the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System and senior research fellow in the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University.
Nearly 5 million Americans have served in the armed forces since September 11, 2001, participating in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This post-9 / 11 population faces increased risks for traumatic brain injuries, psychiatric disorders and suicide, compared to earlier generations of veterans. Research has shown that brain injury can evolve into a lifelong health condition that