The relationship between resilience and neurophysiological stress in Special Operations Forces combat service members

• Published in: The European journal of neuroscience Vol. 55; no. 9-10; pp. 2804 - 2812
• Main Authors: Barczak‐Scarboro, Nikki E., Roby, Patricia R., Kiefer, Adam W., Bailar‐Heath, MaryBeth, Burke, Riley J., DeLellis, Stephen M., Kane, Shawn F., Lynch, James H., Means, Gary E., Depenbrock, Patrick J., Mihalik, Jason P., Smith, Yoland
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-05-2022
• Subjects: cerebral blood flow; concussion; Doppler effect; ego resiliency; Physiology; Special forces; Stress response; Traumatic brain injury; ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Velocity; cerebral blood flow; ego resiliency; concussion; ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0953-816X; 1460-9568
• DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15109

Military resilience research is increasing due to the growing literature associating resilience with stress adaptation. This study aimed to investigate which physiological stress adaptation components were associated with resilience in Special Operations Forces combat service members. Special Operations Forces combat service members (n = 117) self‐reported resilience (ER89) and lifetime clinician‐confirmed mild traumatic brain injury history. Participants also underwent transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to measure middle cerebral artery velocity during rest and a breath‐holding task. Neither resilience nor mild traumatic brain injury history was significantly associated with middle cerebral artery velocity percent increase following breath‐holding; younger Special Operations Forces combat service members had a higher percent increase in middle cerebral artery velocity following a breath‐holding task. Resilience was negatively associated with time to return to baseline middle cerebral artery velocity following peak velocity; whereas, mild traumatic brain injury history did not have a significant association. The Special Operations Forces combat service members that scored higher in resilience tended to return to baseline middle cerebral artery velocity following peak velocity faster than their less resilient counterparts. More resilient Special Operations Forces combat service members recovered faster from physiological stress (breath‐holding) than less resilient counterparts. This is the first study to investigate resilience and cerebrovascular stress response and recovery in this population. Our initial findings indicated that the Ego Resiliency Scale may be an optimal resilience psychometric and should be used to evaluate effective military resilience trainings, which aim to improve performance and mental health.
Military resilience research is increasing due to the growing literature on the association of resilience with stress adaptation. This study aimed to investigate which neurophysiological stress adaptation components resilience related to in Special Operations Forces (SOF) combat service members. More resilient SOF combat service members recovered faster from physiological stress than less resilient counterparts.