Study Shows Link Between TBI and Neurological Diseases

A new study of older veterans reveals a dangerous two-way relationship between traumatic brain injuries and major neurological diseases, suggesting that the risk of one significantly increases the risk of the other. The research, published on June 17, 2026, in the medical journal Neurology, indicates that the period following a diagnosis of stroke, dementia, epilepsy, or Parkinson’s disease is a critical window for preventing head injuries.

Led by Dr. Carrie Peltz of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, the study analyzed health records from 55,204 veterans with an average age of 78. Researchers compared 13,801 veterans who had recently experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with 41,403 veterans of similar ages who had not. The team examined medical data from the year before and after the injury occurred, excluding anyone who already had one of the four neurological conditions at the start of the study period.

The findings showed that older veterans who had a TBI were three to four times more likely to have been diagnosed with one of the four conditions in the preceding year compared to those without a TBI. After adjusting for factors like smoking,...