Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have uncovered new information regarding the damage patterns resulting from improvised explosive devices (IED). The study, documented in the Acta Neuropathologica Communications journal, was conducted on five veterans who survived at least one IED blast during the Iraq or Afghanistan War but later passed away due to other causes. These individuals’ brains were compared to the brains of 24 deceased civilians.
The examinations yielded a honeycomb-like pattern of tiny wounds in each of the five veterans’ brains conclusive enough to link it to the effects of an IED blast while the civilians’ brains showed trauma consistent with their causes of death. This honeycomb pattern is now believed to affect the part of the brain that controls executive function, which could explain the difficulties many IED survivors experience upon recovery with emotions and assimilation into civilian living.
Researchers hope these conclusions can help them pinpoint the most advantageous further testing that will lead to improved treatment methods for this unique pattern of brain injury.
If you’re a veteran suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury or another service-connected ailment and you believe you could be eligible for disability benefits, the West Virginia Veterans Benefits Lawyers of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, can help.
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