Auditory, Vestibular and Cognitive Effects due to Repeated Blast Exposure on the Warfighter

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship between blast-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically the auditory (i.e., hearing) and vestibular (i.e., balance) symptoms of military Warfighters who were recently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The study employed a prospective, between-subjects research design comparing an experimental group (service members who have been diagnosed with BI-TBI) to a control group (service members who do not have clinical symptoms consistent with BI-TBI). A total of96 volunteers were recruited and consented, with a final enrollment of 68 participants. Results show that there are differences between the vestibular function of service members without history of BI-TBI and those with a history of BI-TBI that could be diagnosed clinically with instrumentation that proved to be reliable and well tolerated by service members with TBI.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA581394

Entities

People

  • Amy E. Nedostup
  • Kristen L. Casto

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Brain Injuries
  • Data Analysis
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Ear
  • Head Injuries
  • Iraqi-War
  • Medical Personnel
  • Penetrating Wounds
  • Sensation Disorders
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Wounds And Injuries

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.
  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.