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| Science & Technology |
| Blast Waves May Partially Explain Suicide Tragedy Befalling U.S. Military, Vets |
| 2024-06-30 |
| [Defense Opinion] A far-reaching study by Navy researchers has found that exposure to munitions blast waves from combat and training may be causing brain injuries the aggregation of which is resulting serious and often deadly ailments such as depression, PTSD and suicide. Years of prior research with animals has already documented an association between exposure to pressure waves from munitions blasts, known as overpressure, and behaviors mimicking depression. But the new findings are particularly important because they validate that the same phenomenon is occurring in U.S. military members, echoing what some advocates for veterans have been saying all along as suicide rates have dramatically climbed. "The current research suggests a similar pattern in humans, which may also inform our understanding of the possible associations between overpressure and suicide that has been posited elsewhere," researchers from the Naval Health Research Center found. In another key finding, the Navy research "is the first to document an association between overpressure exposure and self-reported diagnoses of chronic fatigue syndrome specifically, though again the mechanism for this effect is still unclear." The researchers theorize that undiagnosed symptoms arising from overpressure exposure may impair the ability to get high-quality sleep, a factor in suicidal ideation. "Alternatively, it is possible that the shockwaves associated with overpressure may damage certain regions of the brain like the thalamus, which has been implicated in sleep-wake cycles. Given the importance of both suicide and sleep in military populations, understanding these associations more fully represents exciting avenues for future research," they concluded. Medical records from thousands of service members analyzed The researchers analyzed survey data collected between 2011 and 2013 from 138,949 service members and focused much of their analysis on incoming blasts from enemy munitions, such as improvised explosive devices, and outgoing blasts occurring when service members fire their own weapons in training or combat. Service members exposed to repeated incoming enemy blast waves had higher risks for PTSD and depression than those exposed to only one incoming blast or no blast. Repeated exposure to both enemy blast waves and blasts during training or combat also increased the risks of migraines and PTSD. More here from the NYT but paywalled. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #4 TBI is in the family of CTE found in football and other repeated concussive injuries. Pattern of Brain Damage Is Pervasive in Navy SEALs Who Died by Suicide |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2024-06-30 18:41 |
| #3 Perhaps something akin to Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI). |
| Posted by: Pheager Tojo9306 2024-06-30 17:09 |
| #2 I have a book by the son of a Marine who was on Okinawa. His Father was knocked down by a huge explosion from Japanese munitions being detonated. He suffered horrible headaches and eventuly killed himself. |
| Posted by: Deacon+Blues 2024-06-30 15:29 |
| #1 One would think that brain lesions in victims even years later would be detectable. |
| Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342 2024-06-30 14:00 |