The Clinical neuropsychologist
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The current conflicts in the Middle East have yielded increasing awareness of the acute and chronic effect of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The increasing frequency of exposure to blast and multiple deployments potentially impact the probability that a service member may sustain one of these injuries. The 2008 International Conference on Behavioral Health and Traumatic Brain Injury united experts in the fields of behavioral health and traumatic brain injury to address these significant health concerns. This article summarizes current Department of Defense (DOD) initiatives related to TBI and PTSD.
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In the military and Veterans Administration systems, individuals with potential MTBI are presenting with symptoms in excess of what would be expected based on initial injury characteristics and/or at unexpected time periods based on current research findings. This article investigates factors that might account for the discrepancy between current research expectations and some occurrences in clinical practice. ⋯ Additional factors that occur within the military blast exposure milieu are also explored because the context in which an injury occurs can potentially impact symptom severity and course of recovery. Differential diagnoses, iatrogenic illness, diagnosis threat, and symptom embellishment are also considered.