AGENCY TESTIMONY
Need for blast exposure research in veteran health
0:19:52
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116 sec
Commissioner Hendon highlights the importance of research into blast exposure and its effects on brain health, emphasizing its relevance to veterans and other at-risk populations.
- The testimony outlines various professions and situations where individuals are exposed to blasts
- It explains that while there's a correlation between blast exposure and negative brain-related behaviors, causation is not well understood
- The commissioner calls for urgent research to identify types of energy involved in blasts, their impacts on brain function, and reliable biomarkers for brain health
- He emphasizes that this research could potentially benefit millions of individuals and help address mental health issues upstream
James Hendon
0:19:52
Next one I wanna talk about is the need for blast exposure research.
0:19:55
Like also bring attention to a related concern that holds a strong correlation with PTSD and veterans, the impact of blast explosion, panning back military personnel, construction workers, police, five fives, commercial fishermen, industrial farmers, miners, auto mechanics, prisoners, domestic violence victims, and contact sports athletes are often exposed to blasts.
0:20:17
Examples of blasts are the fine of a weapon.
0:20:20
Operation of heavy machinery, proximity to demolitions, explosions, or crashes, and violent physical contact.
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All of these blasts release various forms of of energy, for instance, overpressure, radio frequency, infrasound, piezo electricity.
0:20:36
1 or more blast energies is suspected to impact the brain.
0:20:39
While research has shown that there's a correlation between these blasts and negative brain related behaviors, for example, increased incidence of suicide.
0:20:47
Little is known about causation.
0:20:49
Scientists have yet to pinpoint which energies of those released are doing the damage and the exact ways in which these energies affect the brain.
0:20:57
The mechanisms through which glass energies cause brain damage are poorly understood.
0:21:02
This hint is our ability to prevent, measure, or treat said injuries effectively.
0:21:06
Research into identifying the types of energy involved, their specific impacts on brain function, and reliable biomarkers for brain health is urgently needed.
0:21:15
Such research would improve our ability to assess injuries and ultimately develop protective measures that can mitigate the effects of these exposures.
0:21:22
This will potentially benefit millions of individuals in at risk populations.
0:21:26
If we can solve what leads to many mental and behavioral issues upstream, then we can reduce the number of our brothers and sisters and their families whom we will need to assist downstream.
0:21:38
As a society, we largely focus on the symptoms of blast exposure and treating those symptoms from a mental health standpoint.
0:21:44
From an engineering standpoint, we need to study and mitigate the cause.
