Accession Number:

ADA581394

Title:

Auditory, Vestibular and Cognitive Effects due to Repeated Blast Exposure on the Warfighter

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 11 May 2011-30 Jun 2012

Corporate Author:

GENEVA FOUNDATION LAKEWOOD WA

Personal Author(s):

• Casto, Kristen L.
• Nedostup, Amy E.

Report Date:

2012-07-01

Pagination or Media Count:

11.0

Abstract:

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship between blast-induced traumatic brain injury TBI, specifically the auditory i.e., hearing and vestibular i.e., balance symptoms of military Warfighters who were recently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom OIF and Operation Enduring Freedom OEF. The study employed a prospective, between-subjects research design comparing an experimental group service members who have been diagnosed with BI-TBI to a control group service members who do not have clinical symptoms consistent with BI-TBI. A total of96 volunteers were recruited and consented, with a final enrollment of 68 participants. Results show that there are differences between the vestibular function of service members without history of BI-TBI and those with a history of BI-TBI that could be diagnosed clinically with instrumentation that proved to be reliable and well tolerated by service members with TBI.

Descriptors:

• *TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES
• AUDITORY PERCEPTION
• COGNITION
• CONSISTENCY
• DEPLOYMENT
• HEARING
• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• WOUNDS AND INJURIES

Subject Categories:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE