Speaker:

Melina Hale

Description:

Closed brain injury -- damage to the brain without skull penetration  -- is a characteristic injury of the war in Iraq.  It is much more  prevalent then in previous wars due in part to increased survivability  of major injuries to the body and to increased exposure to blasts from  improvised explosive devices.  Providing care and treatment for returning service men and women who have sustained such injuries is a 
major ongoing concern facing the United States.

Come for a discussion of issues surrounding traumatic brain injuries such as those sustained in the Iraq war, research examining the diverse effects of blasts on the brain, and current and potential future directions for prevention and treatment of head injury.