Traumatic Brain Injury and Early Onset Dementia in Post 9-11 Veterans
Kennedy, E., Panahi, S., Stewart, I. J., Tate, D. F., Wilde, E. A., Kenney, K., Werner, J. K., Gill, J., Diaz-Arrastia, R., Amuan, M., Van Cott, A. C., & Pugh, M. J. (2022). Traumatic Brain Injury and Early Onset Dementia in Post 9-11 Veterans. Brain injury, 36(5), 620–627. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2033846. PMID: 35125061; PMCID: PMC9187585.
Main Question
Are TBI and TBI-related sequelae associated with emergence of early onset dementia in Post-9/11 Veterans?
Study Findings
This matched case-control study found that epilepsy, self-reported memory problems, TBI, other neurological conditions (e.g., anoxic brain injury, encephalopathy, Parkinson’s disease), cardiovascular disease, and depression were associated with early onset frontotemporal or Alzheimer’s dementia.
Practical Uses
History of TBI, related sequelae such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease, and other well-establsihed health conditions are risk factors of early onset dementia.
Clinicians may consider promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors and prevention for cardiovascular disease beginning early in adulthood to reduce disease development and risk for early onset dementia.
For more information on assessing and managing mTBI
In an effort to provide the latest findings to our consumers as quickly as possible, some of these studies, while fully peer reviewed, have not been presented or published either electronically or in print. Findings are presented for informational purposes only and should not be cited or referenced until they are formally published or presented.