Traumatic Brain Injury as a Potential Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus in the Veteran Population

This review examines various aspects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its potential role as a causative agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the veteran population. The pituitary glands and the hypothalamus, both housed in the intracranial space, are the most important structures for the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2022-07, Vol.14 (7)
Main Authors: Saberian, Sepehr, Mustroph, Christian M, Atif, Fahim, Stein, Don, Yousuf, Seema
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cardiovascular disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Clinical outcomes
Diabetes
Dopamine
Edema
Endocrine system
Endocrinology/Diabetes/Metabolism
Glucose
Growth hormones
Homeostasis
Hyperglycemia
Hypothalamus
Insulin resistance
Neurology
Pathophysiology
Pituitary gland
Population
Post traumatic stress disorder
Trauma
Traumatic brain injury
Veterans
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This review examines various aspects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its potential role as a causative agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the veteran population. The pituitary glands and the hypothalamus, both housed in the intracranial space, are the most important structures for the homeostatic regulation of almost every hormone in the human body. As such, TBI not only causes psychological and cognitive impairments but can also disrupt the endocrine system. It is well established that in addition to having a high prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), veterans have a very high risk of developing various chronic medical conditions. Unfortunately, there are no measures or prophylactic agents that can have a meaningful impact on this medically complex patient population. In this review, we explore several important factors pertaining to both acute and chronic TBI that can provide additional insight into why veterans tend to develop T2DM later in life. We focus on the unique combination of risk factors in this population not typically found in civilians or other individuals with a non-military background. These include post-traumatic stress disorder, CTE, and environmental factors relating to occupation and lifestyle.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.27296