Active duty service members who sustain a traumatic brain injury have chronically elevated peripheral concentrations of Aβ40 and lower ratios of Aβ42/40.
Excessive accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau have been observed in older individuals with chronic neurological symptoms related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet little is known about the possible role of Aβ in younger active duty service members following a TBI. The purpose of the study was to determine if Aβ 40 or 42 related to sustaining a TBI or to chronic neurological symptoms in a young cohort of military personnel.



This was a cross-sectional study of active duty service members who reported sustaining a TBI and provided self-report of neurological and psychological symptoms and provided blood.



An ultrasensitive single-molecule enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to compare concentrations of Aβ in active duty service members with (TBI+; n = 53) and without (TBI-; n = 18) a history of TBI. Self-report and medical history were used to measure TBI occurrence and approximate the number of total TBIs and the severity of TBIs sustained during deployment.



This study reports that TBI is associated with higher concentrations of Aβ40 (F1,68= 6.948, p = 0.009) and a lower ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40 (F1,62= 5.671, p = 0.020). These differences remained significant after controlling for co-morbid symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.



These findings suggest that alterations in Aβ relate to TBIs and may contribute to chronic neurological symptoms.
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Natasha
N
Lejbman
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Anlys
A
Olivera
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Morgan
M
Heinzelmann
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Rebekah
R
Feng
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.|b Yotta Biomed, LLC , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Sijung
S
Yun
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Hyung-Suk
HS
Kim
a National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Jessica
J
Gill
D000328:Adult; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D057566:Self Report; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
Traumatic brain injury; amyloid; military; tauopathies