Brain injury problems from war show complex results that include epilepsy

The brain

Carol Forsloff -  Research has found  traumatic brain injuries found in increasing rates among soldiers returning from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq leaves them susceptible to epilepsy, as well as other complex problems, later. 

This is not a rare occurrence, either according to the research published in the July 20, 2010 edition of Neurology.  This journal is the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

By way of medical follow up, this has major implications for treatment many years later.

“Given the better chances of survival in soldiers fighting in conflicts today, our research suggests that all veterans with a traumatic brain injury should be routinely screened for post-traumatic epilepsy, even decades after the injury,” said study author Jordan Grafman, PhD, of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md.

According to statistics on the onset of epilepsy, post-traumatic epilepsy is the most common cause of new-onset epilepsy in young adults.  Nearly 30,000 new cases are reported each year in the United States.

In doing the study,  researchers asked 199 veterans who experienced a brain injury 35 years before they had ever had a seizure.  They were given intelligent tests and also underwent scans in order to assess brain lesions.  About 44 percent of  the study participants developed post-traumatic epilepsy.

“For a surprising 13 percent, the post-traumatic epilepsy didn’t show up until more than 14 years after the brain injury,” said Grafman. “This research strongly suggests that veterans with brain injury will require long-term neurology care.”

The study also found that the type of seizure changed over time, often becoming more severe (or causing loss of consciousness).

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington’s disease, and dementia.

A report in 2013 revealed approximately one million veterans were injured in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. Approximately 1600 of these suffered brain injuries.

Cognitive function and behavioral concerns are the consequences of brain injuries.  Along with epilepsy and a host of other complex concerns, brain injuries can be undetectable at times, forcing judgment of what happens to occur after an incident that makes it apparent something is terribly wrong.

The adage war is hell is borne out by the invisible wounds of war, the brain injuries that can cause suffering for years.