Neurological and Psychological Effects of Combat-Related Stress

NCT04651192 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: TAUatm
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine what is the neurological and cognitive impact of combat exposure and prolonged stress, in the form of service in the Israeli Defense Forces.

Conditions

Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic; Stress, Psychological

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Change from baseline - PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) score

  PCL is questionnaire assessing posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. It contains 20 items on a severity scale of 0-4, measuring the existence and severity of post-traumatic symptoms. The minimal score, indicating no post-traumatic stress, is 0. The maximal score is 80, indicating extremely severe post-traumatic stress.

  4 years, from time point 1 to time point 5

• Neurological measures - Gray matter volume

  Gray matter volume, i.e. the density of brain cells in a particular region (outcome to be measured in cm3), to be derived from the MRI scans, and compared between the two groups across the various time points.

  4 years, from time point 1 to time point 5

• Neurological measures - Functional connectivity

  Functional connectivity, indicating the level of synchronous activity of certain brain regions during rest (temporal correlation is usually expressed as a Pearson's r); Also to be derived from the MRI scans, and compared between the two groups across the various time points.

  4 years, from time point 1 to time point 5

• Neurological measures - Structural connectivity

  Structural connectivity between regions of the brain (Diffusivity is measured as 10-3mm2.s-1) and the properties of the white matter (expressed with Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures, mainly Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and Mean Diffusivity (MD)); Also be derived from the MRI scans, and compared between the two groups across the various time points.

  4 years, from time point 1 to time point 5

• Neurological measures - Task activations

  Task activations, and specifically the areas activated during the dot-probe task, and how they change over time (expressed as the level of the BOLD signal strength change during the task). To be derived from the MRI scans, and compared between the two groups across the various time points.

  4 years, from time point 1 to time point 5

Study Arms (2)

Soldiers

50 Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) infantry soldiers, all male, aged 18 years, with Hebrew as the dominant language and no condition excluding an MRI scan.

Other: Combat Exposure

Students

50 Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) undergraduate students at Tel-Aviv University, all male, aged 18-19, with Hebrew as the dominant language and no condition excluding an MRI scan.

Interventions

Combat Exposure OTHER

Soldiers will be exposed to combat as part of their routine military service. The ROTC students will not be exposed to combat.

Soldiers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 23 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy 18-year-old Israeli males.

You may qualify if:

• Soldiers in the paratroopers brigade or students in Tel-Aviv University;
• A signed consent form;
• Hebrew native speakers.

You may not qualify if:

• A diagnosis of a neurological disorder (i.e., epilepsy, brain injury);
• Drug or alcohol abuse;
• Cannot undergo an MRI scan, due to metal implants or other metallic foreign bodies, claustrophobia, large tattoos or irremovable piercings;
• Require glasses with a number greater than 7;
• A diagnosis of psychotic or bipolar disorders.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tel Aviv University: lead
• Medical Corps, Israel Defense Force: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Stress, Psychological

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Yair Bar-Haim, PhD

  Tel Aviv University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 24, 2020
• First Posted: December 3, 2020
• Study Start: March 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2025
• Study Completion: May 1, 2025
• Last Updated: May 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)