Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Traumatic Brain Injury Among US Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Military and Veteran Mental Health

  • 1212 Accesses

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a signature injury among veterans who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) combat operations, though this injury can also occur in the context of a number of other noncombat situations. This chapter presents a historical framework for the evolution in thinking about TBI, from conceptualizing it as a historical event to more modern conceptualizations of a chronic disease process. The chapter reviews ways to approach assessment and treatment of veterans with a history of concussion, with attention to the associations and symbolic significances that accompany a range of post-concussive symptoms, comorbid psychiatric symptoms, and the importance of involvement of the family system. Finally, the chapter discusses existing pathways of care for veterans with a history of TBI and future directions for research inquiry.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Belanger HG, Uomoto JM, Vanderploeg RD (2009) The Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) polytrauma system of care for mild traumatic brain injury: costs, benefits, and controversies. J Head Trauma Rehabil 24(1):4–13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boake C (1989) A history of cognitive rehabilitation of brain-injured patients, 1915–1980. J Head Trauma Rehabil 4:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boss P (2016) The context and process of theory development: the story of ambiguous loss. J Fam Theory Rev 8:269–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll LJ, Cassidy D, Peloso PM, Borg J, von Holst H, Holm L, Paniak C, Pepin M (2004) Prognosis for mild traumatic brain injury: results of the WHO collaborating centre task force on mild traumatic brain injury. J Rehabil Med Suppl 43:84–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cifu DX, Granier JP, Grimes J, Crowder T, Pai AB, Lew HL (2013) The history and evolution of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation in military service members and veterans in the United States. In: Amara J, Hendricks AM (eds) Military health care: from pre-deployment to post-separation. Routledge, New York, pp 163–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins RC, Kennedy MC (2008) Serving families who have served: providing family therapy and support in interdisciplinary polytrauma rehabilitation. J Clin Psychol In Session 64:993–1003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (2014) TBI and the military. Retrieved from http://dvbic.dcoe.mil/tbi-military

  • Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. (2017) DoD TBI worldwide numbers since 2000. Retrieved from http://dvbic.dcoe.mil/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi

  • Gennarelli T (1986) Mechanisms and pathophysiology of cerebral concussion. J Head Trauma Rehabil 1(2):23–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hippocrates (1950) Hippocratic writings. In: Lloyd GER, Chadwock J, Mann WN (eds) (trans: Chadwick J, Mann WN). Penguin Books, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoge CW, McGurk D, Thomas JL, Cox AL, Engel CC, Castro CA (2008) Mild traumatic brain injury in U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq. N Engl J Med 358:453–463

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karantzoulis S, Randolph C (2013) Modern chronic traumatic encephalopathy in retired athletes: what is the evidence? Neuropsychol Rev 23:350–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landau J, Hissett J (2008) Mild traumatic brain injury: impact on identity and ambiguous loss in the family. Fam Syst Health 26(1):69–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/1091-7527.26.1.69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maguen S, Lau KM, Madden E, Seal K (2012) Relationship of screen-based symptoms for mild traumatic brain injury and mental health problems in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans: distinct or overlapping symptoms? J Rehabil Res Dev 49(7):1115–1126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCrory PR, Berkovic SF (2001) Concussion: the history of clinical and pathophysiological concepts and misconceptions. Neurology 57:2283–2289

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCrory P, Meeuwise WH, Aubry M, Cantu B, Dvorak J, Echemendia RJ et al (2013) Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 4th international conference on concussion in sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Br J Sports Med 47:250–258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menon DK, Schwab K, Wright DW, Maas AI (2010) Position statement: definition of traumatic brain injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 91:1637–1640

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mittenberg W, DiGuilio D, Perrin S, Bass A (1992) Symptoms following mild head injury: expectation as aetiology. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 55:200–204

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Perlick DA, Straits-Troster K, Strauss JL, Norell D, Tupler LA, Levine B, Luo X et al (2013) Implementation of multifamily group treatment for veterans with traumatic brain injury. Psychiatr Serv 64(6):534–540

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pietrzak RH, Johnson DC, Goldstein MB, Malley JC, Southwick SM (2009) Posttraumatic stress disorder mediates the relationship between mild traumatic brain injury and health and psychosocial functioning in veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. J Nerv Ment Dis 197:748–753

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Randolf C, Kirkwood MW (2009) What are the real risks of sport-related concussion, and are they modifiable? J Int Neuropsychol Soc 15(4):512–520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read A (1687) Chirurgorum comes, or the whole practice of chirurgery, begun by the learned doctor read; continued and completed by a member of the College of Physicians in London. C Wilkinson, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Salazar AM, Zitnay GA, Warden DL, Schwab KA (2000) Defense and veterans head injury program: background and overview. J Head Trauma Rehabil 15:1081–1091

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shultz BA, Cifu DX, McNamee S, Nichols M, Carne W (2011) Assessment and treatment of common persistent sequelae following blast induced mild traumatic brain injury. NeuroRehabilitation 28:309–320

    Google Scholar 

  • Soble JR, Silva MA, Vanderploeg RD, Curtiss G, Belanger HG, Donnell AJ, Scott SG (2014) Normative data for the neurobehavioral symptom inventory (NSI) and post-concussion symptom profiles among TBI, PTSD, and nonclinical samples. Clin Neuropsychol 28(4):614–632

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Symonds C (1962) Concussion and its sequelae. Lancet 279(7210):1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VA/DoD (2009) VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for management of concussion/mild traumatic brain injury. J Rehabil Res Dev 46(6):CP1–C68

    Google Scholar 

  • Wehman P, Gentry T, West M, Arango-Lasprilla JC (2009) Community integration: current issues in cognitive and vocational rehabilitation for individuals with ABI. J Rehabil Res Dev 46(6):909–918

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wortzel HS, Brenner LA, Arcineagas DB (2013) Traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy: a forensic neuropsychiatric perspective. Behav Sci Law 31:721–738

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    Treven Pickett

  2. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Treven Pickett

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Treven Pickett & Lillian Stevens Ph.D.

  4. Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Treven Pickett, Lillian Stevens Ph.D. & Ajit Pai

  5. Mental Health Service, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    Ajit Pai

  6. Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Houston, TX, USA

    Nicholas Pastorek

Authors
  1. Treven Pickett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lillian Stevens Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ajit Pai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nicholas Pastorek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Treven Pickett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA

    Laura Weiss Roberts

  2. US Army Medical Department Active Duty, Fort Stewart, Georgia, USA

    Christopher H. Warner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Pickett, T., Stevens, L., Pai, A., Pastorek, N. (2018). Traumatic Brain Injury Among US Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families. In: Roberts, L., Warner, C. (eds) Military and Veteran Mental Health. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7438-2_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7438-2_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7436-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7438-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation