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. 2024;55(3):271-279.
doi: 10.3233/NRE-230291.

Testosterone and neurobehavioral outcomes in special operations forces military with multiple mild traumatic brain injury

Nathan Barnett  1   2 , Milica Ljubic  1 , Joyce Chung  1 , Allison Capizzi  1   2
Affiliations

Testosterone and neurobehavioral outcomes in special operations forces military with multiple mild traumatic brain injury

Nathan Barnett et al. NeuroRehabilitation. 2024.

Abstract

Background: U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are at increased risk of multiple mild traumatic brain injury (mmTBI). Testosterone was prescribed for several participants in a VA program designed to address sequelae of mmTBI for SOF.

Objective: To determine testosterone prevalence in the Palo Alto VA Intensive Evaluation and Treatment Program (IETP) and observe for association between testosterone and neurobehavioral outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study included patients in the Palo Alto VA IETP. Sociodemographic data, testosterone blood levels, and neurobehavioral outcomes were collected from medical records.

Results: 55 IETP participants were included: six were testosterone users; the rest were classified as non-users. Testosterone use in this population is 11%, higher than reported national averages in the U.S. Of the 6 testosterone users, 2 (33%) had a formal diagnosis of hypogonadism prior to initiation of testosterone. Neurobehavioral outcome scores between testosterone users and non-users failed to show statistically significant differences, except for the PROMIS pain score, which was higher in the testosterone user population.

Conclusion: The current study did not find an association between mmTBI, testosterone use, or testosterone level and neurobehavioral outcomes. This study highlights a need to further examine the relationship between hypogonadism, mmTBI, SOF culture around testosterone, and the effects of testosterone use in this population.

Keywords: TBI; Traumatic brain injury; hypogonadism; multiple mild traumatic brain injury; neuroendocrine dysfunction; special operations forces; testosterone.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowsheet for Obtaining a Diagnosis of Hypogonadism in an Adult Cisgender Male.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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