A military study analyzing US Navy Seal veterans who died by suicide discovered patterns of brain damage associated with blast exposure.
The latest lab survey provides additional evidence of the ways that blast exposure can damage the brain, the New York Times first reported on Sunday.
The study came after the death of Lt David Metcalf of North Carolina, who died by suicide in 2019 after serving in the navy for nearly 20 years.
Before his death, Metcalf wrote a note about brain injury symptoms he was experiencing while also arranging a stack of books on brain damage by his side.
“Gaps in memory, failing recognition, mood swings, headaches, impulsiveness, fatigue, anxiety, and paranoia were not who I was, but have become who I am. Each is worsening,” read Metcalf’s note, in part.
Metcalf’s brain was later studied by scientists at the Department of Defense’s laboratory in Maryland, which found patterns of brain damage associated with people who have sustained repeated exposures to blasts.
Aspects of his case also called to mind the concussion crises that enveloped hockey, football, rugby and other contact sports after researchers determined that the accumulation of hits that players absorb over the course of a typical career could have devastating effects.
Eight other navy veterans who died by suicide after serving with the Seals – elite special forces operators – also had their brains studied by researchers.
Scientists found similar signs of blast damage in every single brain, underlining the consequences of blast exposure.
But navy officials were never made aware of the studies’ conclusions, including Metcalf’s, the Times reported.
In a statement, the navy confirmed to the Times that it had not heard about the conclusions of the lab. One navy officer, who asked to stay anonymous, expressed dismay and frustration to the Times about not being informed about the research.
“That’s the problem,” the officer said. “We are trying to understand this issue, but so often the information never reaches us.”
While the effects of blast exposure aren’t completely understood, experts have been concerned about the consequences of consistent blast exposure on the brain for years.
The Pentagon and several military branches have been attempting to understand the relationship between “blast overpressure” and brain health. The Pentagon is also working to implement several strategies that would reduce blast exposure among soldiers.
The effects of blast exposure garnered increased attention after scientists discovered that Robert Card, an army reservist who killed 18 people in a mass shooting in Maine last year, had evidence of traumatic brain injuries.
Card was repeatedly exposed to low-level blasts through his role as an instructor at an army hand grenade training range.
Dr Ann McKee of the of Boston University’s chronic traumatic encephalopathy center told the Times that more “investigation” was needed to fully understand the “risks of blast exposure”.
“I think these results should be a warning. We need to do more investigation,” she said.
