Detection and Amelioration of Gamma Oscillation Abnormalities in Blast-Related Brain Injury

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

Combat Veterans of post-9/11 conflicts have experienced serious cognitive and emotional problems resulting from exposure to blasts. Recent work suggests that a critical factor influencing the consequences of blast exposure is distance from the blast, rather than the presence or absence of concussion symptoms. Exposure to blasts from a distance of \<10 m has been associated with significantly greater cognitive and neural problems than exposure to blasts from \>10 m. So far, the effects of blast-related brain injury on the brain are poorly understood, as to date the effects of blast exposure have received little research focus. The investigators propose to use oscillations in the gamma band (30-100 Hz) of the electroencephalogram (EEG; brain waves) to detect and remediate neural circuit dysfunction related to blast injury in Veterans. If successful, this project could lead to new approaches to detect and remediate the effects of blast exposure on Veterans and aid in their functional recovery.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Maximum Age: 65
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Research participants will be 50 veterans

• Ages 18-65 years

• Have experienced blast exposure

• Recruited from the VA Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) at the VA Boston Healthcare System (VABHS)

• Half of the participants will have experienced blast exposure from a Close distance (\<10 m)

• Half of the participants will have experienced blast exposure from a Far distance (\>10 m)

• These groups will be matched on age and female/male ratio

Locations
United States
Massachusetts
VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MA
RECRUITING
Boston
Contact Information
Primary
Kevin M Spencer, PhD
Kevin.Spencer@va.gov
(774) 826-1375
Time Frame
Start Date: 2019-12-02
Estimated Completion Date: 2028-06-30
Participants
Target number of participants: 50
Treatments
Experimental: All participants
All participants receive auditory gamma sensory stimulation.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: VA Office of Research and Development

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov