Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
Blast exposure in veterans goes far beyond brain injuries. A new study of 36,641 veterans found that high-level blast exposure — think explosive devices and land mines — was significantly linked to seizures, neuropathy, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and more, years after service. Researchers say it's time to treat blast exposure as a whole-body, long-term health issue.
Blast exposure during military service has long been associated with traumatic brain injuries and psychiatric disorders — but a major new study says the damage runs much deeper. Published in Neurology, the research found that veterans who reported high-level blast exposure (like explosive devices or land mines) faced significantly higher rates of a wide range of chronic conditions years after leaving service.
The study followed 36,641 veterans enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study between 2001 and 2013, all of whom used VA healthcare for at least two years post-service. After adjusting for age, sex, and deployment duration, high-level blast exposure was tied to a broad list of diagnoses — from neurological to cardiovascular to metabolic.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Veterans' physical health complaints are often attributed to PTSD or stress — but this study challenges that assumption. Researchers say blast exposure should prompt proactive, whole-body surveillance, helping clinicians identify chronic disease earlier rather than waiting until it's fully established.
