VoxNeuro, a closely-held software-as-a-medical-device (SaMD) brain health company, has partnered with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to study the cognitive effects following intense military training regimens designed to reflect a combat environment and blast exposure.
Despite the high prevalence of cognitive issues in veterans and active military personnel, there is relatively little understanding regarding these cognitive effects and reliable monitoring.
The study will assess the effects of repetitive, sub-concussive exposure on cognitive functioning and brain electrophysiology with CAF personnel undergoing cognitive testing in tandem with EEG recordings before and after military training.
The study seeks to understand the relationship between repetitive, sub-concussive exposure and behavioural symptoms, vestibular dysfunction, neurophysiology, and cognition to aid in the early detection, prevention, treatment and prognosis.
The study will be led by Dr. Kyle Ruiter, Ph.D., VoxNeuro’s VP of clinical and scientific affairs, with support from Dr. John Connolly, Ph.D., VoxNeuro’s CSO.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to conduct research with the Canadian Armed Forces that will help further our understanding of the cognitive performance of elite military personnel during high intensity, combat-like situations,” Dr. Ruiter said in a statement.
“This research will hopefully be an important step forward in improving brain health and increasing the safety of the Canadian Armed Forces and other military personnel,” he added.
The company intends to use this work to support new regulatory filings with Health Canada and the FDA.
