Differential effects of deployment and nondeployment mild TBI on neuropsychological outcomes.
Sarah L Martindale, Anna S Ord, Sagar S Lad and 3 others
PMID 33382338WHAT IT FOUND
Veterans with mild TBI during deployment showed lower attention and processing speed than those with non-deployment TBI.
However, all group scores remained in the average range. Most veterans with deployment TBI had intact cognition, though PTSD drove stronger behavioral health symptoms.
Key findings
01Deployment mild TBI, but not non-deployment mild TBI, was associated with lower scores on measures of working memory, attention, and processing speed.
02Despite significant statistical differences, all group-level cognitive scores were within the average range, indicating that most veterans with deployment TBI had intact cognitive functioning.
03PTSD diagnosis had stronger effects on behavioral health outcomes than deployment TBI, though deployment TBI still contributed to symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used cross-sectional data, so it cannot prove that deployment TBI caused these cognitive differences. The sample was a relatively healthy, well-educated, non-clinical research group, which limits generalizability to veterans seeking clinical care. The cognitive battery did not assess all domains, such as memory. TBI history relied on participant recall, which can be inaccurate. The sample included very few female veterans and few individuals over age 60.
Declared interests
The paper does not list specific funding sources or conflicts of interest in the provided text, but notes the data was collected as part of a study investigating blast exposure effects in OEF/OIF/OND veterans.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that veterans with deployment mild TBI have clinically significant cognitive impairment. Although statistical differences were found, all group scores remained in the average range, and the vast majority of participants had intact cognitive functioning.