Visually Impaired Support
Group

Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Martinsburg, West Virginia


Second Thursday of each Month
10:00 AM, Room 2A122C

If you would like to attend or
have questions,

Please call Donna Cobean,
VIST Coordinator

(304) 263-0811 ext: 3856

We will be having special guests
each month to speak on issues
pertaining to blindness and
visual impairment. We look
forward to meeting you.

Gerry Fitzpatrick, VIST Volunteer
Blinded Veterans Association
215-498-0976
Or
540-722-2274

###
Disabled American
Veterans,
Stonewall Jackson,
Chapter # 9
Winchester, Virginia
VAMC  HOSPITAL,  MARTINSBURG, WV.
Counter
09-14-2008

The Blinded Veterans Association was contacted by National Institute of Health,
(NIH) about this study, and they do want both recent Iraq and Afghanistan
Traumatic Brain Injured or wounded as well as Vietnam Veterans
with TBI or back then it was referred to as open head injuries and severe
concussions.
If anyone knows of a OIF or OEF service member or Vietnam veteran who might
be interested in participation in this study, they will provide travel, hotel costs,
associated with the study.

The Warfighter Head Injury Study (WHIS) is a research study of head-injured
warfighters being conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in
Bethesda, Maryland. We are enrolling Iraqi-Afghan (IA) warfighters with
penetrating brain injury as well as a group of warfighters with blast brain injury,
and a group of healthy warfighter volunteers. In addition to IA warfighters, we
will also enroll Vietnam veterans who were included in the W  F. Caveness
Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS) Registry, additional Vietnam veterans with TBI
and veterans from other wars (i.e.: Gulf War).

We will pay for the costs associated with traveling to the NIH, the cost of a hotel
and reimbursement for meals. In addition, those warfighters with brain injury
will be asked to travel with a caregiver and all of those expenses will be paid for
as well. Testing will be about 6 hours per day, for 5 work days.

In the past, we have worked with Vietnam veterans during the VHIS and the
results of those studies have changed the way head-injured warfighters are
treated, contributed to learning how the brain works and the long-term effects of
head injury. We have planned a series of neuroscientific experiments as well as
neuropsychological testing to be conducted during the  WHIS. The testing will
also include brain scans (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] or computed
tomography [CT]), EEG and genetic evaluations. We hope that the results of the
WHIS provide knowledge that enables to further improve the care and outcome
in brain-injured war fighters.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS)
NIH CLINICAL CENTER
The Warfighter Head Injury Study

A Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Research Evaluation
The Warfighter Head Injury Study (WHIS) is currently seeking healthy
volunteers, ages 18 - 75, to participate in our research study located at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. This
study is sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke.
You may qualify if you were an Iraqi-Afghan warfighter in combat and did NOT
sustain a head injury.
You may not qualify if you have certain neurologic or psychiatric conditions  or
if you have a history of drug abuse.

This research study will investigate the long-term difficulties warfighters may
experience after combat. The evaluation includes non-invasive brain scan(s),
neurological exam, and neuropsychological testing.

There is no cost for participation or tests related to our study. All expenses
related to taking part in this study will be covered, and standard NIH
compensation is available.  
The time commitment for this study is 5 consecutive days for 6 hours each day.

Individuals interested in this study should contact Sandra Bonifant,Warfighter
Head Injury Study, Program Specialist/Study Coordinator, Cognitive
Neuroscience Section, NINDS, at 301-594-5751 for additional
information