Undiagnosed Brain Injury: The Hidden Legacy of Iraq

[babylonsister]

Undiagnosed Brain Injury: The Hidden Legacy of Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Sat, 2007-10-27 14:45. Media

By Matthew Taylor and Esther Addley, Guardian UK

MoD begins study amid fears that up to 20,000 soldiers may be affected.

The Ministry of Defence is conducting a major study into brain injury in troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan amid fears that thousands of soldiers may have suffered damage after being exposed to high-velocity explosions.

The US army says as many as 20% of its soldiers and marines have suffered "mild traumatic brain injury" (mTBI) from blows to the head or shockwaves caused by explosions. The condition, which can lead to memory loss, depression and anxiety, has been designated as one of four "signature injuries" of the Iraq conflict by the US department of defence, which is introducing a large-scale screening programme for troops returning from the frontline.

Defence officials were reluctant to extrapolate directly from the US experience, arguing that the science is still inconclusive and that the US and UK experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has been different. But the Guardian has learned that the government has put in place a series of measures - including a comprehensive screening process - to deal with what could be a 20-fold increase in troops with mTBI. If the most alarming US predictions are accurate, as many as 20,000 UK troops could be at risk.

Kit Malia, a cognitive rehabilitation therapist who will oversee the programme to treat TBI at Headley Court military rehabilitation centre in Surrey, said: "I think the issue is that we don't know whether the Americans are correct. But if the American figures are correct, this is massive. Absolutely massive."

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[NMMNG]

1. TBI can truly alter lives

The effects may be profound, and rehab can take years or even the rest of ones life. Sadly TBI can go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed. The NINDS Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page has more information about TBI.