A Review of Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Veterans: Current Issues and Understanding

Abstract: The occurrence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is common, with military veterans being at particular risk, especially those undertaking combat roles. However, there remains some confusion regarding the diagnosis and aetiology of TBI, especially concerning mild cases, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This brief review highlights some of the main issues regarding mTBI, with a focus on military personnel and veterans. In particular, attention is drawn to issues regarding discrepancies in prevalence and incidence rates between the UK and US, Post concussional Syndrome (PCS) and the potential long-term impact of mTBI. Finally, the review explored the relationship between mTBI and mental health difficulties, with a high incidence rate of depression, anger and PTSD found in veterans who meet criteria for mTBI. Implications of these relationships are discussed.