Study Links Military Duty in Iraq to Lapse in Some Mental Ability

NY Treason Times ^ | August 2, 2006 | BENEDICT CAREY

[neverdem]

A large study of Army troops found that soldiers recently returned from duty in Iraq were highly likely to show subtle lapses in memory and in ability to focus, a deficit that often persisted for more than two months after they arrived home, researchers are reporting today.

But the returning veterans also demonstrated significantly faster reaction times than soldiers who had not been deployed, suggesting that some mental abilities had improved.

The slight deficit, often unnoticed by the soldiers, could make it difficult for some of them to learn and remember information as quickly as they are accustomed to, the authors said. These lapses are more common but less disabling than emotional reactions to combat like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, the researchers said, and in many cases probably reflect a natural adaptation to life in Iraq, with the reaction time strengthening at the expense of some other mental functions.

“We’re talking about a level of change that is not alarming and shouldn’t send people running to the doctor, but changes that some may notice when they are trying to perform in very demanding contexts” like a challenging civilian job, said the lead researcher, Jennifer J. Vasterling of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System and Tulane University.

The study, appearing in The Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first to track carefully such changes in mental functioning over time in soldiers who deployed to a war zone and those who did not.

Researchers tried to measure similar changes in troops after the Persian Gulf war of 1991. Many of those veterans, reporting chronic problems with concentration, suspected that they had been exposed to toxic gases that might have been a cause. But investigators had too little information about them from before they went to war to make...

[neverdem]

Neuropsychological Outcomes of Army Personnel Following Deployment to the Iraq War That links the complete article. Registration, not subscription, may be required.

[Minus_The_Bear]

unbelievable

[SAJ]

This chap's last name clearly should have been Arnold.

[Anti-Bubba182]

This is Politically motivated "science". It may be possible simply on the basis of fatigue that IQ scores are temporarily lower, but the motivation for this crap is obvious.

If these same soldiers are allowed to take these researchers out and shoot them, that would increase their IQ. BS, you bet, but entertaining.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I would be willing to bet that an accurate study would reveal that long-term exposure to the NY Times turns men into fags or girls.

[bitt]

duh.


I would think they still have that far away stare, too.....

[D-fendr]

The also were much more prone to want to beat the crap out of NYT reporters.

[carumba]

...but the motivation for this crap is obvious.,

Editorial page fodder.

[infowarrior]

I would think they still have that far away stare, too.....

The "thousand yard stare"? Most of them will never totally lose *that*... It isn't rocket science that people exposed to the crucible of comabt are changed by the experience, often irrevocably so. Soldiers have known this for generations (back in the Civil War era, it was called "seeing the elephant"...)

By the way, this so called "lapse" isn't truly a lapse at all. They've just adapted in a way that re-asesses their priorities, with something which doesn't constitute an immediate threat being relegated to the back burner. Again, this isn't rocket science, except to the "psycho-babble" crowd...

the infowarrior

[neverdem]

British Scientists: Embryonic Stem Cell Research Cures "Years Away" If Ever

Search Is on for Original Apollo 11 Footage

Parasite That Makes Cat-Lovers Neurotic

The last link may not be so crackpot as it could appear at first glance. Enter toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia into PubMed. I read the abstracts for citations 1, 14 and 16. I can relate to 14 anecdotally. My best friend's wife has rhuematoid arthritis. Her brother is schizophrenic.

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[SR 50]

ping

[nopardons]

Maybe these educated idiots should exam the records of those who survived WW I. It would make today's returnees looks fantastic!

[JSteff]

"likely to show subtle lapses in memory and in ability to focus....demonstrated significantly faster reaction times...difficult for some of them to learn and remember information...chronic problems with concentration (other news reported the concentration and memory problems were things like forgetting grocery lists, keys etc."

Uhmnmm.. anybody see any correlation to the symptoms of ADD? They say ADD may have benefited early man by making them capable to concentrate intensely on current task needs while being able to be aware of what was going on around them. Then early man could switch tasks to take advantage of any new developments that could be beneficial-or a threat, and then back to the original task.

Mundane stuff was forgotten while the concentration was redirected to the new task opportunity or threat.

Sort of like a soldier being able to hyper concentrate on the immediate task (performing the mission and staying alive), but also to redirect the hyper concentration to opportunities and threats that may arise (like the ambush they see hidden just down the road). When that development is handled the concentration quickly returns to the mission needs.

ADD was not a deficit to early man, nor to soldiers, it is why they perform well. Intense concentration on a task with the ability to also be aware of everything else that is a threat or opportunity and being able to shift to that situation quickly... and then back to the mission.

ADD is the brains way successfully multi task. A definite bonus to early man and to those in combat. I think this is what is happening to our troops... and it is not necessarily a bad thing.

[dawn53]

I would be willing to bet that an accurate study would reveal that long-term exposure to the NY Times turns men into fags or girls.

My first thought was, geesh, you could have done a study of new mothers and found that those who recently had a baby were highly likely to show subtle lapses in memory and in ability to focus, a deficit that often persisted for more than two months after they baby arrived home.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping. I.E.D. (Internal Enemies Device)

[Gamecock]

I have one thing to say about this...

Uh, what wre we talking about?


Seriously, no joke. That is the mind healing itself. I've gone through it, so have all my buddies. It's not a big hairy deal.

[PzLdr]

They're coming back from Iraq as Democrats?

[MoralSense]

Duh. I played a six nights a week gig with a band in Alaska for four months one summer, and, as you can imagine, did not sleep much. I wasn't too sharp when I got back home, either -- till I caught up on my sleep.

[ImpBill]

"A large study of Army troops found that soldiers recently returned from duty in Iraq were highly likely to show subtle lapses in memory and in ability to focus, a deficit that often persisted for more than two months after they arrived home, researchers are reporting today."

Obviously research conducted by folks who have never "stood the line" in battle for their freedoms to conduct such studies.

Only those who have served in combat can ever even attempt to understand the ravages of war.

35 years later I can still be found be found just staring into blankness. The memories never go away.

My hope is that these new "young centurions" don't have to experience the scorn of an ungrateful nation.

[AmericanChef]

*sigh*

I've been using an electric toothbrush for 3 years now. I recently had to use a regular toothbrush instead, and: I forgot how they work!!

Does this mean I can't ever use a regular toothbrush again? Of course not!

Studies like this are so stupid. I'll bet it got gubmint funding.