Shockwaves of War: Neurobehavioral Symptom Analysis Post-Al Asad Missile Strike, 2020

Area of Science:

• Military medicine
• Neuroscience
• Sleep science

Background:

• The January 8, 2020, Al Asad Air Base attack involved over 12 ballistic missiles from Iran.
• Service members (SMs) reported post-concussive symptoms and sleep pattern changes post-attack.
• This study assessed long-term health impacts, neurobehavioral symptoms, and sleep disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate long-term health effects of a ballistic missile attack on service members.
• To investigate neurobehavioral symptoms and sleep disturbances.
• To determine the relationship between blast exposure, location, and symptom severity.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 583 service members was conducted 4-6 weeks post-attack.
• Data collected included self-reported blast exposure, neurobehavioral symptoms, and sleep habits.
• Latent class analysis identified neurobehavioral phenotypes; repeated-measures ANOVA assessed symptom-sleep duration relationships.

Main Results:

• Three neurobehavioral phenotypes were identified: Minimally (60.5%), Moderately (28.8%), and Profoundly Affected (10.7%).
• Profoundly and Moderately Affected groups reported more persistent symptoms and shorter sleep durations.
• Closer proximity to missile strikes correlated with higher symptom severity and shorter sleep durations.

Conclusions:

• Missile proximity significantly impacts neurobehavioral symptoms and sleep disturbances.
• Three distinct neurobehavioral phenotypes necessitate targeted screening and follow-up care.
• Findings underscore the need for interventions to mitigate long-term health impacts for affected service members.