GE and U.S. Army to evaluate deployed soldiers for TBI and PTSD symptoms

Apr 15 2010

As part of GE's continuing efforts to support U.S. troops, GE Global Research, the technology development arm of the General Electric Company, is engaged in a two-year research study with the U.S. Army to evaluate soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD).

The study, which will take place at Fort Gordon, Georgia, was established through a $2.7 million Congressional initiative awarded and managed by the Department of Defenses' Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) to support wounded soldiers. Researchers from the Dwight D Eisenhower Army Medical Center, led by Dr. Joseph Wood, Chief of Clinical Research, and the Center For Telehealth at the Medical College of Georgia, led by Dr Max Stachura, also are part of the project team.

“Through this study, we will be using GE informatics technologies to learn more about the symptoms of TBI and PTSD and help the U.S. Army better assess and help affected soldiers recover."”

The incidence of TBI and PTSD has risen over time as more soldiers have been deployed, and in some cases, redeployed to combat zones. With the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IED), it is estimated that as many as 20% to 30% of returning soldiers will experience the symptoms of TBI. GE researchers will be employing advanced analytics to identify key symptoms of these disorders, which are still very difficult to measure and quantify. The hope is that new information gathered will enable earlier detection, intervention and treatment of soldiers.

"With the incidence of TBI and PTSD rising among returning soldiers, more needs to be done to enhance our understanding and treatment of these disorders," said Dan Cleary, Principal Investigator, Computing and Decision Sciences, GE Global Research. "Through this study, we will be using GE informatics technologies to learn more about the symptoms of TBI and PTSD and help the U.S. Army better assess and help affected soldiers recover."

GE researchers will use passive activity sensors to study the sleep quality, rest and activity cycles and brain activity of wounded soldiers. They will then measure, analyze and correlate the data gathered with the symptoms of TBI and PTSD to help the military better assess and validate the physical, behavioral, and occupational symptoms of these disorders. A key goal of the program is to establish a clinical relationship between activity and sleep and the severity of symptoms.

The project will use both existing and future-generation GE QuietCare® technologies for the care of seniors. QuietCare uses advanced, unobtrusive motion sensor technology and powerful analytical software to learn the daily living patterns of senior community residents, sending alerts when certain out-of-the-ordinary events occur. QuietCare is a validated healthymagination product under GE's initiative to reduce cost, increase access and improve quality in healthcare.

GE currently employs more than 10,000 U.S. Veterans and works to recruit more by guaranteeing healthcare benefits for families while the employee is deployed; offering salary differential support for families of deployed employees; and creating a GE leadership program tailored specifically for military service members.