Australian researchers have found physical evidence of blast wave injury in the brain of a deceased veteran, marking the first such case identified in Australia.
Warning: This story contains details of a suicide and may disturb some readers.
The damage was discovered through post-mortem analysis of tissue donated to the Australian Veterans Brain Bank and offers rare physical proof of injuries caused by repeated exposure to weapons blasts—damage that standard brain scans cannot detect in living patients.
About 450 current and former service personnel have pledged their brains to the brain bank in the hope that researchers can uncover microscopic signs of the invisible harm caused by military service. Six brains have been received so far, with four analysed.
The first Australian case involved a veteran with prolonged exposure to blasts, said Michael Buckland, director of the Australian Veterans Brain Bank.
Dr Buckland said: “There is a disturbing association with problems with mental health and [symptoms mirroring] post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] with this brain pathology.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to in the neuropathology community understands that there is brain injury associated with blasts that needs to be actioned.”
Blast overpressure—a high-pressure shock wave caused when weapons are fired—travels invisibly through the body, including the brain, and can damage delicate tissue. Repeated exposure has been linked to memory loss, aggression, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Researchers identified a unique pattern of damage called interface astroglial scarring (IAS)—star-shaped scars that form between the brain’s grey and white matter.
This type of scarring can only be seen through dissection after death.
Paul Scanlan, a former Australian Army special forces officer and veterans’ advocate, said the finding is a major moment in acknowledging service-related injuries.
Scanlan said.“This is the first Australian validation of the damage that we know has been caused in veterans.
“I hope this helps it be recognised as an injury caused by service, opens up research and funding and draws more attention to the plight of veterans here.”
The same pattern of scarring was first identified in 2016 by scientists at a US Department of Defense brain bank.
Last year, New York Times reporter David Philipps revealed that nine elite Navy SEALs who died by suicide all showed signs of blast-related brain damage.
“Nine of those brains went to the brain lab and all nine had evidence of traumatic blast damage, which is stupendous,” Philipps said.
“Many of the SEALs who died knew that something was going wrong in their head before they died.”
One SEAL left a suicide note describing his symptoms and killed himself in a way that preserved his brain for analysis.
Philipps said: “He set out a stack of books that he had read on concussion and other types of brain injuries and he hoped that would be his legacy.”
Philipps said the SEALs’ widows often ensured the brains were delivered to the lab within hours of death.
“They were talking to each other. They had learned about this research and this brain lab that had just been set up, and they had really taken it upon themselves to make sure these brains got there — and also make sure that other widows knew about this — often in the hours after their husband’s death.”
Despite the Defence Department lab analysing all nine brains, the findings never reached Navy SEAL leadership.
“There should have been a red flashing light saying, ‘Warning, warning: Everyone we’ve looked at has a brain injury.’
“But that just wasn’t happening.”
Dr Buckland has presented his findings in the US and met with scientists from the American brain bank.
He said: “At this stage, it is a numbers game. The more brains we’re able to examine, the more clinical and medical histories we’re able to analyse, the faster we’re going to get answers.
“There is now, at least within the NATO community, consensus that this is an issue and something needs to be done sooner rather than later.
“The first thing is trying to stop the injuries occurring in the first place — so regulating exposure, being able to accurately measure exposure — to try and minimise the risk.”
