Many people are aware that when troops come back from being deployed that the men and women returning to their communities sometimes experience difficulties caused by the experiences of war. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that can cause significant problems. Research has suggested, however, that not all post-war afflictions revolve around mental health and could actually be physical in nature.
According to the findings of the research, people with structural abnormalities of the white matter in their brains may be more likely to experience mild traumatic brain injury with episodes of loss of consciousness. The study further suggests that the condition could negatively affect verbal memory performance in afflicted individuals. Troops returning home that were exposed to various situations involving explosives may suffer from MTBI with loss of consciousness related to the presence of certain atypical brain structures. However, standard imaging techniques, such as CT scans, may fail to detect these brain changes, particularly in mild cases. The research goes on to indicate that diffusion tensor imaging, a more sensitive technique, may be more productive in identifying structural abnormalities in white matter and, therefore, confirming MTBI.
The researchers of the findings hope that by more accurately assessing the neurological condition of men and women with MTBI, their medical care can be tailored to preserving cognitive functioning and minimizing the early onset of some neurodegenerative brain disorders, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy and Alzheimer’s Disease. If the full scope of the condition is not recognized, medical professionals may not prescribe the most effective treatments for the patients suffering from brain trauma.
If a doctor failed to diagnose a traumatic brain injury accurately, a lawyer could review medical records in order to identify if medical negligence occurred. The victim of negligence may be able to seek financial compensation for losses incurred.