Neurocognitive consequences of blast injuries in military personnel with mild traumatic brain injury: evaluation with the ImPACT quick test

Abstract

Blast injury is a major cause of trauma among military personnel, with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) often leading to deficits in attention, memory and motor speed.1–3 In Ukraine, the lack of systematic screening may contribute to underdiagnosis of blast-related mTBI, despite increasing blast-injured cases. We hypothesised that blast exposure alone, even without clinically confirmed mTBI, can lead to measurable neurocognitive impairment. This initiative introduced the ImPACT Quick Test (ImPACT QT), a brief, resource-efficient neurocognitive test,4 5 for the first time in Ukraine, advancing wartime neurocognitive assessment.