For years now, there have been research papers indicating exposure to blasts in the military can cause permanent and observable changes in brain tissue, resulting in cognitive changes. Blasts can be IED’s (home-made bombs), artillery or anything with an explosive charge including 'breacher' training to gain access to buildings. Sub-concussive blast injury is another form of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI for short). Sub-concussive means in isolation, one blast isn’t enough to cause a concussion. But with each blast, cumulatively, overtime, it adds up and can have a deleterious affect on the brain.

Our brain is not immune to changes with time and what I will call significant life experience (read getting wiser and older). The positives of getting older are of course wisdom, knowledge, better emotional regulation skills and maturity.