Abstract

There has been a growing interest in learning more about the pathophysiological mechanisms of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as how they might be linked to veterans’ higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Following a special issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia published in June 2014 that focused on military risk factors, the Alzheimer’s Association convened a continued scientific discussion on December 1, 2016, building on that discussion. During this meeting, participants presented and evaluated progress made since 2012 and identified significant gaps in knowledge regarding factors that may affect veterans’ risk of dementia in later life. The following is a summary of the invited presentations and moderated discussions regarding the review of current scientific knowledge and the identification of inconsistencies that will guide subsequent research.