DOD ADNI
A Study of Brain Aging in Vietnam War Veterans
“This Department of Defense funded project is the only one of its kind, aimed at determining if Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cause Alzheimer’s disease. Vietnam Veterans with a history of TBI or PTSD are encouraged to join. I served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, and I have personally undergone all the tests of this study myself.”
Michael Weiner, M.D.
Professor, ADNI Principal Investigator
Director, Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Disease
San Francisco VA Medical Center
Overview
Do Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Affect the Aging Brain in Veterans of the Vietnam War?
In 2012, the US Department of Defense (DOD) awarded funding for “The Study of Brain Aging in Vietnam War Veterans (DOD ADNI). TBI and PTSD are common combat related problems and may be associated with a greater risk of AD.
Alzheimer’s disease affects 50% of U.S. adults over the age of 85. TBI and PTSD are common combat related problems and may be associated with a greater risk of AD. Our purpose was to examine the possible connections between TBI and PTSD, and the signs and symptoms of AD on Veterans as they age.
The information collected in DOD ADNI helps us to learn more about how these injuries may affect Veterans of the Vietnam War as they grow older, as well as Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, who also have these types of combat-related injuries.
The results of the DOD ADNI study will lead to greater efforts to develop treatment and prevention studies to help reduce these long term effects of TBI and PTSD injuries.
Study Participants
Vietnam War Veterans between 50-90 years old were interviewed to determine if they were eligible to continue with the clinical interview and clinic visits.
View study details
Read more about the study on clinicaltrials.gov