MOD announces results of Armed Forces brain injury study

mTBI can result from relatively minor head injuries or exposure to blast, and can arise in a wide variety of circumstances, occurring in both military and civilian life.

Under Secretary of State for Defence, Derek Twigg, said:

"The commissioning of this study by the Surgeon General shows that the MOD is determined to do all that it can to look after the mental health of our forces.

"The study has concluded that there is no evidence to suggest that the operational capability of the UK's Armed Forces is being affected by mTBI.

"We routinely screen every member of the military for mTBI who undergoes treatment at any of our emergency medical facilities, regardless of the nature of their injuries.

"However, research is continuing, covering not only such areas as identifying and diagnosing mTBI cases, but also their prevention."

The Defence Medical Services already routinely screen for symptoms and signs of brain injury all those personnel with multiple injuries admitted to MOD's main rehabilitation centre at Headley Court.

Recognising the need for further research, the MOD's Surgeon General, Lieutenant General Louis Lillywhite, initiated a project in June 2007 to investigate the historical, clinical and laboratory context of mTBI and make recommendations concerning future management, clinical care, education and research.

The project team consulted widely with clinical and research experts within the military and civilian sectors both in the UK and overseas, but principally in the US.

The project noted that civilian evidence suggests 80% of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is mild and 80% of cases will be symptom-free within three months of the injury occurring.

The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine has identified 585 cases of casualties with TBI (whether mild, moderate or severe) out of a total of some 36,000 attendances for any injury to deployed UK operational emergency departments since early 2003 - the majority of which would be for minor ailments with no requirement for admission or further treatment. This represents 0.5% of the deployed UK military population.

The project provides a baseline for further work that is already in hand. A four-level protocol is being established, education material for all personnel on operations has been developed and an assessment questionnaire has been introduced to help medical staff identify mTBI cases at the time of injury and to enhance surveillance and research.