Longevity & AgingTBI and Brain Disorders Drive Each Other in a Dangerous Cycle for Older Adults
A major study of over 55,000 U.S. military veterans reveals that traumatic brain injury (TBI) and serious brain disorders such as dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease have a two-way relationship. Older adults with these conditions are significantly more likely to suffer a TBI — largely because impaired balance and cognition increase fall risk. In turn, TBI raises the odds of developing these same conditions afterward. The findings highlight a dangerous feedback loop in aging brains and underscore the urgent need for fall prevention strategies — including balance training, home safety modifications, and medication reviews — for anyone diagnosed with a neurologic condition. The research, published in Neurology, analyzed veterans aged 55 and older treated between 1999 and 2021.
