The impact of combat traumatic brain injury on the early development of cognitive dysfunction in young people.

Due to the recent increase in the number of military conflicts in the world, physicians are increasingly faced with the combat traumatic brain injury (TBI). The paper deals with the question of development of cognitive and emotional disorders in persons of young age in different periods of the combat traumatic brain injury received during military operations. The development of vegetative and higher nervous activity disorders was especially noted. Medical histories were reviewed and patients who underwent combat operations during the war in Ukraine in the period from 2014 to 2022 were examined. Scales of mental functions assessment – MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), Montreal Cognitive Functions Scale (MoCA), Spielberg-Hanin anxiety scale, Beck Depression Scale, Study of memory, attention activity and work capacity “10 words” technique (A.R. Luria) and Schulte tables (Schulte’s methodology) were also used. Particular attention was paid to the degree of development of the disorders and the patients of different groups which were divided according to the factor of the age of injury. A detailed analysis of the development of nervous disorders in each group was given, allowing us to evaluate the most sensitive brain structures. It was revealed that the medial stem structures of the brain are especially susceptible. This paper is of special interest for the medical personnel and medical establishments which supervise the persons suffered from combat TBI during the military operations.

Keywords: traumatic brain injury – cognitive impairment – cognitive dysfunction – emotional-volitional disorders