title: The Neurocognition Deployment Health Study: a prospective cohort study of Army Soldiers.
abstract: Questions remain regarding the effects of military operational deployment on health. The Neurocognition Deployment Health Study addresses several gaps in the deployment health literature, including lack of baseline health data, reliance on subjective measures of exposure and health variables, prolonged intervals between redeployment and health assessments, and lack of a uniform case definition. The Neurocognition Deployment Health Study uses a prospective cohort design to assess neuropsychological outcomes associated with Iraq deployment. Methods incorporate administration of performance-based neuropsychological measures to Army soldiers before and after Iraq deployment and to nondeployed Army Soldiers assessed during comparable periods of garrison duty. Findings should have the potential to delineate neuropsychological outcomes related to combat theater deployment and to identify potential risk and protective factors related to health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vasterling
authors.forename: Susan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gackstetter
authors.forename: Margaret A K
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008403:Mass Screening; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D008890:Military Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare