Afghanistan War: Degenerative Brain Disease Threatens U.S. Soldiers

Mind Fields: War's Cost - Brain Injuries Must Be A Priority For DOD

As the war in Afghanistan winds down, more than 200,000 U.S. soldiers who suffered from a traumatic brain injury are at risk of developing a degenerative brain disease.

Doctors have not yet found a way to diagnose or prevent the condition, called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), HuffPost's David Wood explains. The condition can lead patients to suffer from memory loss, difficulty in walking and speaking, paranoia and even suicide. Doctors hope that by treating soldiers early for traumatic brain injury, they may prevent it from developing into CTE.

Josh Zepps, David Wood and Rick Collins are joined by veterans Matt Zeller, Joshua Flashman, Bernadette Beckwell to discuss.

Watch the full segment below.

Before You Go

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot