The Mid-Atlantic Regional Group

Blinded Veterans Association

Legislative News

August 22, 2008 

The Blinded Veterans Association was contacted by National Institute of Health, (NIH) about this study, and they do want both recent Iraq and Afghanistan Traumatic Brain Injured or wounded as well as Vietnam Veterans with TBI or back then it was referred to as open head injuries and severe concussions.

If anyone knows of a OIF or OEF service member or Vietnam veteran who might be interested in participation in this study, they will provide travel, hotel costs, associated with the study. 

The Warfighter Head Injury Study (WHIS) is a research study of head-injured warfighters being conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. We are enrolling Iraqi-Afghan (IA) warfighters with penetrating brain injury as well as a group of warfighters with blast brain injury, and a group of healthy warfighter volunteers.  In addition to IA warfighters, we will also enroll Vietnam veterans who were included in the W. F. Caveness Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS) Registry, additional Vietnam veterans with TBI and veterans from other wars (i.e.: Gulf War).  

We will pay for the costs associated with traveling to the NIH, the cost of a hotel and reimbursement for meals.  In addition, those warfighters with brain injury will be asked to travel with a caregiver and all of those expenses will be paid for as well.  Testing will be about 6 hours per day, for 5 work days. 

In the past, we have worked with Vietnam veterans during the VHIS and the results of those studies have changed the way head-injured warfighters are treated, contributed to learning how the brain works and the long-term effects of head injury.  We have planned a series of neuroscientific experiments as well as neuropsychological testing to be conducted during the WHIS. The testing will also include brain scans (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] or computed tomography [CT]), EEG and genetic evaluations. We hope that the results of the WHIS provide knowledge that enables to further improve the care and outcome in brain-injured war fighters.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS)

NIH CLINICAL CENTER 

The Warfighter Head Injury Study

A Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Research Evaluation 

The Warfighter Head Injury Study (WHIS) is currently seeking healthy volunteers, ages 18 – 75, to participate in our research study located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.  This study is sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 

• You may qualify if you were an Iraqi-Afghan warfighter in combat and did NOT sustain a head injury. 

• You may not qualify if you have certain neurologic or psychiatric conditions, or if you have a history of drug abuse. 

This research study will investigate the long-term difficulties warfighters may experience after combat. The evaluation includes non-invasive brain scan(s), neurological exam, and neuropsychological testing.  

There is no cost for participation or tests related to our study.  All expenses related to taking part in this study will be covered, and standard NIH compensation is available. 

The time commitment for this study is 5 consecutive days for 6 hours each day.

Individuals interested in this study should contact Sandra Bonifant, Warfighter Head Injury Study, Program Specialist/Study Coordinator, Cognitive Neuroscience Section, NINDS, at 301-594-5751 for additional information

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