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Brain Health in the Special Operations Forces Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Invisible Wounds of War

Tracks
C1
Thursday, March 28, 2024
5:10 PM - 6:25 PM
Mirage Events Center C1

Session Type/Accreditation

Concurrent Symposia Session (CME) - Moderator: Heidi Schneider


Speaker(s)

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Ron Hirschberg
Home Base

Brain Health in the Special Operations Forces Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Invisible Wounds of War

Abstract(s)

The special operator forces (SOF) community is accustomed to efficiency and mission driven work. The inherent occupational demands, and the cumulative effects of intense trauma (both physical and psychological), blasts and other exposures, all contribute to impairments and injuries specific to the work environment. Thus, expert interdisciplinary care for SOF incorporates both expeditious assessments with five-day Comprehensive Brain Health and Trauma program (ComBHaT), and a tailored treatment program, or two-week intensive clinical program (ICP). Physical, psychological, neurological, medical, and musculoskeletal impairments interact and impact one another, and a comprehensive evaluation is not fully complete without best practice communication among clinicians who are directly assessing SOF. Interdisciplinary SOF care includes psychological diagnostics, cognitive assessment with neuropsychology, vestibular-oculomotor evaluation with physical therapy, nutrition, sleep assessment, and concomitant various specialty medical opinions including neuroendocrinology and neurosurgery. Comprehensive laboratory work in addition to neuroimaging are essential tests to complement complete clinical evaluations. Risk of morbidity, including oncologic disease, resulting from specific toxic and environmental exposures is taken into consideration in this younger, predominantly male population. We can also look to comparable work in professional football players regarding brain health and multisystem disease that affect both longevity and quality of life in the SOF population. One’s healthspan is defined as the years of life that do not include chronic disease, and research in football has shown that early aged cardiovascular impairments, musculoskeletal, and cognitive challenges are associated with reduced healthspan. The Home Base Program is a unique example of a non-profit care system well positioned to take care of the SOF population, in the context of the imperative need for private-government partnerships to meet the growing demand to address these invisible wounds of war, and mitigate morbidity while promoting strong quality of life for the SOF community.

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Joseph Bonvie
Mass General Hospital / Home Base Program

Brain Health in the Special Operations Forces Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Invisible Wounds of War

5:15 PM - 5:30 PM
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Ron Hirschberg
Home Base

Brain Health in the Special Operations Forces Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Invisible Wounds of War

5:30 PM - 5:45 PM
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Lauren Brenner
Mass General Hospital / Home Base Program

Brain Health in the Special Operations Forces Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Invisible Wounds of War

5:45 PM - 6:00 PM
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