Cognition
Sometimes called the “invisible wounds” of war, psychiatric and neurological illnesses affect many service members due to trauma, prolonged exposure to stress, and brain injury. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF; Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF; Iraq) have resulted in a higher percentage of armed forces deployments than ever before in history. Deployments have been longer, and breaks between less frequent. While advances in medicine and technology have reduced casualties, cognitive impairments are a growing concern. We must work to address these issues, both out of responsibility to our service members and in order to ensure a strong military for the future.
BU-affiliated centers, institutes, and labs involved in cognitive science research, education, and clinical work include:
Boston University Center for Computational Neurosciences and Neural Technology
Boston University McNamara Lab
Boston University School of Engineering Neuronal Dynamics Lab