Study description: The Observational Study on Late Neurologic Effects of OEF/OIF/OND Combat (CENC0001C) is a large 1100 participant Observational Cohort Study with the objective of identifying and assessing the long-term effects of mild TBI in a population of Veterans and Service Members with a history of deployment and combat exposure in recent conflicts such as Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Data collected include a variety of clinical measures, cognitive and neurological functioning assessments, patient-reported outcomes, and biological measures including biospecimen and MRI analysis. This study is taking place at seven Veteran’s Affairs Medical Centers located in Richmond, Tampa, Houston, San Antonio, Portland, Minneapolis and Boston as well as one DoD site located at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Study description: The Epidemiology of mTBI and Neurosensory Outcomes Study (CENC0004C) is a retrospective cohort study integrating existing federal healthcare databases to study the chronic effects of mTBI on neurodegenerative disease and other comorbidities, and the methods to treat and rehabilitate adverse effects of mTBI in Veterans over time.

Study description: The Tau Modifications Study (CENC0005C) is a basic science project to identify the key molecular events in the processing of tau after TBI in rodents and humans, with the goal of developing novel biomarker tools to assess tau dysregulation after TBI.

Study description: The Otolith Dysfunction and Postural Stability Study (CENC0008P) is a prospective case-controlled study to determine the effect of inner ear (vestibular) dysfunction on balance, gait and quality of life in Veterans. This study is located at the Mountain Home Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City, TN.

Study description: The Novel White Matter Imaging to Improve Diagnosis of Mild TBI Study (CENC0020P) is an observational cohort study assessing the diagnostic utility of multicomponent-driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) on brain volume after mTBI in Veterans with a history of mTBI, posttraumatic stress or both. This study is located at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

Study description: The ADAPT/EVOLVE Study (CENC0025P) is a follow up to an existing prospective case-controlled study of advanced MR imaging and clinical outcomes measures 3-5 years after concussive traumatic brain injury (TBI) in US military personnel injured during deployment. This study is located at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.

Study description: The Structural and Functional Neurobiology of Veterans Exposed to Primary Blast Forces Study (CENC0034P) is an observational cohort study designed to investigate the microstructural nature and functional effect of diffuse heterogeneous white matter abnormalities following mTBI in Veterans of recent conflicts, using advanced multimodal neuroimaging, structured interview, cognitive testing and questionnaires. This study is located at the WG Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, NC.

Study description: The DTI Phantom Study (CENC0039P) is an observational study to cross-validate the many different scanners across the VA hospital system to provide the same imaging information in suspected cases of TBI.

Study description: The Clinical and Neuroimaging Correlates of Neurodegeneration in Military mTBI Study (CENC0049P) is an observational cohort study designed to test potential markers of mTBI and assess self-report measures by re-assessing an existing cohort of Veterans and Service Members by collecting data through clinical interviews, self-reporting measures, neuroimaging and blood-based protein expression. This study is located at the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System and the University of Minnesota.

Study description: The Visual Sensory Impairments and Progression Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Study (CENC0056P) is an observational cohort study to identify the spectrum of visual sensory disturbances after mTBI using a new imaging technology, and further to identify potential therapeutic modalities including focal transcranial magnetic stimulation, visual behavioral tasks that may strengthen synaptic connections, chemical neuromodulation, and peripheral and central nerve stimulation. This study is headquartered out of the Iowa City VA Healthcare System with study sites also located in Minneapolis and Palo Alto.

Core description: The Coordinating Center manages and provides support for all consortium activities. Through individual and collective collaboration with CENC leadership, Core Directors, and Study personnel, the Coordinating Center ensures regulatory compliance, monitors progress, facilitates communication, and offers assistance, in order to promote success for each project, as well as the unified consortium.

Core description: The Biorepository Core manages the transfer, storage, and processing of all blood and saliva samples collected, for all consortium projects that conduct biospecimen collection procedures.

Core description: The Biostatistics Core provides analytic expertise and statistical programming support, which functions to assist with study design and protocol development, monitor projects, conduct data analyses, report results, and contribute to manuscript production.

The Data Management and Study Management Core centrally and securely maintains all consortium data, and manages clinical monitoring of research sites. Provided by the Data Management and Study Management Core is a Consortium Research Manager, which communicates with site Clinical Research Coordinators to guide and expedite clinical protocols through regulatory approval processes, coordinates patient accrual, and monitors study activities across sites.

Core description: The Neuroimaging Core facilitates acquisition, review, transfer, collation, tracking, analysis, reporting, storage, and interpretation of neuroimaging data, for all consortium projects that conduct imaging procedures.

Core description: The Neuropathology Core manages the collection of brain specimens from participants under an existing national network of neuropathologists and dieners. Responsibilities of the Neuropathology Core include tissue cataloging and storage, administration of requests for tissue analysis, and monitoring of results produced by tissue analyses conducted.