Cognitive and Vascular Functioning Following TBI

Launched by WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER · Sep 5, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Cognitive and Vascular Functioning Following TBI," is looking into how long-term brain injuries (known as traumatic brain injuries or TBIs) might affect thinking skills and blood vessel health. The study aims to understand the connection between brain injuries, certain health risks related to the heart and blood vessels, and problems with memory or thinking, particularly in those who may develop vascular dementia, a type of memory loss linked to blood flow issues in the brain.

If you are an active-duty service member or veteran aged between 65 and 74, and have had a TBI at least three years ago, you might be eligible to participate. You’ll need to be able to read, write, and speak English and give your permission to join. Participants will undergo various assessments, including blood tests and brain scans, to help researchers gather important information about brain health over time. This study is currently recruiting and seeks to learn more about how past injuries can impact cognitive function and overall vascular health in different individuals.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Active duty uniformed SM or Veteran who is currently eligible for treatment at WRNMMC (i.e., Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)-eligible).
• • 2. Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• • 3. Ability to provide informed consent.
• • 4. NICoE Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or NatHx Study comprehensive evaluation ≥3 years prior to current evaluation with valid neuropsychological test results.
• • 5. Consent to allow access to prior research data collected through the NICoE TBI Neuroimaging Core Project or NatHx Study and consent to allow access to at least 1 prior blood specimen previously collected through these studies or the DoD Serum Biorepository.
• • Additional TBI Inclusion Criteria
• 1. History of at least one mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating TBI \> 3 years prior to enrollment. TBI will be diagnosed if any one of the following criteria immediately after the injury is met and attributed to the brain injury, rather than environmental/psychological/other injury factors (DoD-VA criteria246):
• • 1. Loss of consciousness (LOC) or post-traumatic amnesia (PTA)
• • 2. Alteration of consciousness (AOC)
• • 3. Evidence of neurologic dysfunction
• • 4. TBI-related abnormality on structural neuroimaging (either CT or MRI). Additional Healthy Control Criteria
• • 1. History of military deployment.
• • 2. Low history of blast exposure (i.e., \<10 blasts) Additional Blast Control Criteria
• • <!-- -->
• • 1. History of significant blast exposure (i.e., exposure to ≥ 10 blasts)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Disabling neurologic or psychological disorders such as autism, cerebral palsy, developmental disorder, stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess, vascular malformation, pre-injury epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder
• • 2. Diabetes mellitus requiring drug treatment
• • 3. Hypertension requiring more than 1 antihypertensive drug to control BP
• • 4. History of myocardial infarction or other systemic vasculopathies
• • 5. Dementia diagnosis at initial NICoE/NatHx Study assessment