Combat Dementia in Military Personnel: A Novel Neurocognitive Profile of Relentless War

This study presents a novel epidemiological and neurocognitive model of combat-related dementia among military personnel exposed to prolonged warfare. A retrospective analysis of 206 veterans who received care at the Nodus Neurorehabilitation Center (2014–2024) revealed three distinct clinical groups: Group A – organic dementia following traumatic brain injury (TBI); Group B – dementia without TBI, PTSD, or organic brain lesions; and Group C – dementia in the context of PTSD, psychotrauma, or blast exposure. Cognitive assessments (MoCA/MMSE), ERP and EEG data, and ordinal/binary logistic regression analyses were employed. Group A exhibited clear ERP–MMSE correlation; Group B showed fronto-limbic dysfunction without structural pathology; Group C demonstrated ERP abnormalities without overt lesions. Longer combat deployment (>14 months) and older age significantly increased the risk of progression. The findings define combat-related dementia as a multifactorial syndrome, integrating both organic and functional decline, and provide a clinical framework for diagnostics, targeted rehabilitation, and preventive military health policy.