Evaluation of the Effects of High Level Overpressure (8+psi) on Cognitive Performance, Brain Blood Biomarkers and Sympton Reporting

Abstract

This is a multi-site observational study of military and law enforcement personnel who are exposed to overpressure (OP) where data is collected in conjunction with occupational training exercises. The studys primary purpose is to characterize a variety of weapon systems/environments (OP, impulse, acoustics) and measure effects (neurocognitive, biomarkers, symptom reporting, etc.) immediately after OP exposure (less than 5 min) and/or at end of training day (i.e., acute effects). 5 data collections took place (n1 = 31, n2 = 6, n3 =24, n4 = 31, n5 = 14) at 4 different sites. Individual overpressure exposures recorded during training frequently exceeded the 4 psi incident safe threshold prescribed by US Army doctrine. Neurocognitive deficits, immediately after blast and at the end of the day, were observed at each test site, but only appeared to affect a small segment of each sample, ranging from 5-30 percent of subjects. Increases in select protein biomarkers were associated with increased symptom reporting and slower reaction time at the end of the exposure day. The magnitude of gene expression changes following blast exposure was greater in operators that self-reported having a history of TBI. Surrogate head and brain models were customized by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to collect data during wall breaching events at two training sites. Six datasets, two to eight blast events each, of head/brain acceleration and pressure data were collected. In addition, neuronal cell cultures were exposed to wall breaching events during training exercises in two sets. New heads were developed to measure pressures at the eardrum during blast events. Surrogate head and cell culture data are under analysis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2019
Accession Number
AD1093383

Entities

People

  • Amit Bagchi
  • Gary H. Kamimori

Organizations

  • Geneva Foundation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Acoustics
  • Biomedical Research
  • Blast
  • Brain Injuries
  • Data Analysis
  • Ear
  • Engineers
  • Explosives
  • Gene Expression
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Medicine
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Propellants
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Auditory Neuroscience/Auditory Physiology.
  • Oncology and Biomarker-Based Cancer Detection.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.