Military blast exposure linked to aging brains

A new report released in a neurology journal Monday is linking early aging in the brains of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans to exposure to blasts while overseas.

Years after coming home, it appears veterans are showing progressive damage to the brain’s wiring. Researchers say these findings are concerning because a history of mild traumatic brain injury has been identified as a risk factor for age-associated neurodegenerative diseases like Alzhiemer’s and dementia.

However, local neurologist Dr. Richard Bird says much more research needs to be done.  He believes other factors could be contributing to early brain aging.

Dr. Bird continues, “People exposed to bomb blasts probably have more PTSD. What do these people do to themselves after they get home? Did they drink more, smoke more, loose more sleep? People exposed to bombs obviously have more stress than others that don’t. Are there other factors related to this than the bomb blast itself?”

The researchers involved in this study do say it’s in it’s early stages. They essentially agree with Dr. Bird in that other factors must be looked into before making any definitive conclusions.