Screening Criteria for U.S. Military TBI Study

U.S. military personnel with positive results on screening for traumatic brain injury, performed at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), were eligible for inclusion in the study. Screening was based on U.S. military clinical criteria for traumatic brain injury^{18 (link)}: loss of consciousness, amnesia for the event, or another change in neurologic status, such as feeling “dazed” or “confused” or “seeing stars” immediately after the trauma. Additional criteria for inclusion in the study were injury from a blast, defined as primary injury from blast exposure with or without additional mechanisms of injury, within 90 days before study enrollment; membership in the U.S. military; the ability to provide informed consent in person; no contraindications to MRI, such as retained metallic fragments; no history of major traumatic brain injury or psychiatric disorder; and agreement to communicate by telephone or e-mail monthly for 6 to 12 months after enrollment and to travel to Washington University in St. Louis for follow-up. Inclusion criteria for controls were the same except that negative results of screening for traumatic brain injury were required. All subjects provided written informed consent before enrollment.