Are veterans prone to the same issues?

​Posted on September 29, 2021 by louise savoie

Veterans, especially those that have served during major conflicts, go through many harrowing experiences. These include traumatic brain injuries, which can cause temporary memory loss in some cases.

Because veterans tend to experience multiple rather than singular traumatic brain injuries, can they be prone to developing dementia when they reach old age? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. According to the Aging Life Care Association, the traumatic brain injuries experienced by veterans have long-term effects on their brains’ tissues. This is because of the laceration and bleeding caused by the mechanism in which TBIs work.

You see, when the brain experiences blunt trauma, the brain moves inside the skull in response. When the impact is forceful enough, it could rupture blood vessels and neurons, and cause brain tissue to scrape against the skull. This causes tissue damage and internal hemorrhage in some cases.

Thanks to advances in military technology, many soldiers survive the initial injury and may not need 24 hour in-home care at the beginning. However, the initial injuries suffered by the brain’s tissues could progress to dementia in the long run. The risk becomes even higher if the soldier suffered multiple brain injuries in the course of their service. Simply put, the initial effects of TBI could trigger the inflammation in the brain that leads to the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and the subsequent damage to neurons and nerves. These, in turn, can result in dementia like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases, and the need for home care. 

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