PTSD

Researchers say they have confirmed suspicions that DNA modifications found in the blood of mice exposed to high levels of stress hormone — and showing signs of anxiety — are directly related to changes found in their brain tissues. Scientists say this research offers the first evidence that epigenetic changes that alter the way genes function without changing their underlying DNA sequence -- and are detectable in blood -- mirror alterations in brain tissue linked to underlying psychiatric diseases.

A third of intensive care patients develop depression that typically manifests as physical, or somatic, symptoms such as weakness, appetite change, and fatigue, rather than psychological symptoms, according to one of the largest studies to investigate the mental health and functional outcomes of survivors of critical care.

Veterans of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War who suffer from “Gulf War illness” have impaired function of mitochondria – the energy powerhouses of cells, researchers have demonstrated for the first time. The findings could help lead to new treatments benefitting affected individuals -- and to new ways of protecting servicepersons (and civilians) from similar problems in the future.

A new study indicates that a commonly used mood stabilizing drug may help prevent head and neck cancer. Valproic acid (VPA) is currently prescribed as an anti-seizure medication and mood stabilizer, but it is also being studied as an anticancer agent because it inhibits histone acetyl transferases, which help control gene expression by changing DNA structure.

Researchers have shown that, contrary to what was previously assumed, suppressing unwanted memories reduces their unconscious influences on subsequent behavior, and have shed light on how this process happens in the brain.

Traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for epilepsy. A new study identifies increased levels of a specific neurotransmitter as a contributing factor. The findings suggest that damage to a specific type of brain cell plays a role in the development of epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury.

Even the mildest form of a traumatic brain injury, better known as a concussion, can deal permanent, irreparable damage. Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers is using mathematical modeling to better understand the mechanisms at play in this kind of injury, with an eye toward protecting the brain from its long-term consequences.

Of nearly 1 million veterans who receive opioids to treat painful conditions, more than half continue to consume opioids chronically or beyond 90 days, new research says. A number of factors were associated with opioid discontinuation with the goal of understanding how abuse problems take hold in returning veterans.

Soldiers returning home from war may find themselves engaged in an even tougher conflict. A new paper examines the 'warring identities' many veterans confront when transitioning from soldier to civilian life. "You can't really do research on veterans mental health without some kind of dialogue on PTSD, but we're trying to move away from the standard PTSD framework to contextualize the veteran experience and get a more accurate picture of what vets returning from war look like as opposed to just looking at the medical side of things," the author said.

A new study shows that more than half the survivors in one Japanese town exhibited 'clinically concerning' symptoms of PTSD following the country's mega-earthquake and tsunami. Two-thirds of survivors also reported symptoms of depression. Having work to do has proven important in increasing resilience.

Child abuse is a reliable predictor of post-traumatic stress disorder, but not all maltreated children suffer from it, according researchers, who examined why some maltreated children develop PTSD and some do not. The research team found that adolescent girls who experienced maltreatment in the past year and were willing to talk about their painful experiences and their thoughts and emotions, were less likely to have PTSD symptoms one year later. Those who tried to avoid painful thoughts and emotions were significantly more likely to exhibit PTSD symptoms down the road.

Amid times of crisis, citizens often turn to social media as a method to share information, make observations and vent. But as a professor’s research into social media use amid the Mexican drug war shows, posts can reveal growing numbness, or desensitization, during times of protracted violence and stress.

Fathers who returned after military service report having difficulty connecting with young children who sometimes don’t remember them, according to a study released this week. While the fathers in the study had eagerly anticipated reuniting with their families, they reported significant stress, especially around issues of reconnecting with children, adapting expectations from military to family life, and co-parenting.

Researchers followed up on a landmark domestic violence arrest experiment and found that African-American victims who had partners arrested rather than warned were twice as likely to die young.

A new study of Gulf War veterans found an association between poor sleep quality and reduced gray matter volume in the brain's frontal lobe, which helps control important processes such as working memory and executive function. "This study emphasizes the importance of seeking medical help if you are troubled by the poor quality of your sleep," said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President. "A board certified sleep medicine physician can identify the cause of your sleep problem and develop an effective treatment plan for you."

Despite prolonged combat missions to Iraq and Afghanistan, there has been no overall increase in mental health problems among United Kingdom soldiers, finds a review of the available evidence. But certain groups of soldiers do seem to be more vulnerable to mental ill health on their return home, while alcohol problems continue to give cause for concern among regulars. The researchers focused on Iraq and Afghanistan because of the lengthy and challenging nature of the conflict experienced by British soldiers in these two countries, including protracted counter insurgency and repeated exposure to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), snipers, and suicide bombers. Their analysis, which draws on 34 studies, shows that, overall, most UK regulars returning from deployment have remained psychologically resilient, despite the adversities they faced.

Chronic stress that produces inflammation and anxiety in mice appears to prime their immune systems for a prolonged fight, causing the animals to have an excessive reaction to a single acute stressor weeks later, new research suggests. After the mice recovered from the effects of chronic stress, a single stressful event 24 days later quickly returned them to a chronically stressed state in biological and behavioral terms. Mice that had not experienced the chronic stress were unaffected by the single acute stressor.

Fear is primal. In the wild, it serves as a protective mechanism, but for humans, fear is more complex. A normal amount keeps us safe. But too much fear, like PTSD, can prevent people from living healthy lives. Researchers are working to understand how the brain translates fear into action. Today, scientists announce the discovery of a new neural circuit that links the site of fear memory with a brain area that controls behavior.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern for all, however women who experience IPV are more likely to sustain injury and report adverse health consequences. An expanding body of research suggests that experience of IPV is common in women veterans, particularly those who access Veterans Health Administration services.

Biologists have shown in rats that chronic stress makes stem cells in the brain produce more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons, possibly affecting the speed of connections between cells as well as memory and learning. This could explain why stress leads to mental illness, such as PTSD, anxiety and mood disorders, later in life.

Understanding and properly studying fear is partly a matter of correctly defining fear itself. New analysis points to ways research can be better geared to address a range of fear-related afflictions, such as post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and commonly experienced phobias.

Is it possible to predict which soldier will start smoking and which one will maybe quit? Yes, say researchers in the US, especially when factors such as alcohol use, gender, a soldier's rank, war zone stressors and unit support are considered. A new study looks at smoking behavior in the military.

Although inflammation is frequently a cause of disease in the body, research indicates that low levels of a pro-inflammatory cytokine in the brain are important for cognition. Cytokines are proteins produced by the immune system.

The media have widely reported that a debilitating neurological condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a well-established disease in retired athletes who played football and other contact sports. But a study has found little evidence that CTE actually exists.

Researchers found that during PTSD treatments, rapid improvements in depression symptoms are associated with better outcomes.

Spanish researchers have analyzed the impact of the Lorca catastrophe by the percentage of minors suffering post-traumatic stress. Results reveal that 55% of young people displayed this disorder a month on from the earthquake and 40% were still suffering a year later. On 11 May 2011, Lorca suffered an earthquake measuring 5.1, preceded by another of 4.5, which killed nine people and caused significant material damage.

Despite being diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, childhood cancer patients are no more likely than their healthy peers to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study indicates.

Brain imaging experiments have revealed for the first time how ecstasy produces feelings of euphoria in users. The findings hint at ways that ecstasy, or MDMA, might be useful in the treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The estimated 9 percent of college students who have symptoms of PTSD are likely to drink more alcohol than peers without the psychological condition. In turn, heavy alcohol consumption exacerbates their PTSD symptoms.

Memories of traumatic events often last a lifetime because they are so difficult to treat through behavioral approaches. A preclinical study reveals that drugs known as histone deacetylase inhibitors can enhance the brain's ability to permanently replace old traumatic memories with new memories, opening promising avenues for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders.

Teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion, finds a new study.

Roadside bombs and other blasts have made head injury the “signature wound” of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Now, researchers are investigating the effect of repeated combat-related blast exposures on the brains of veterans with the goal of improving diagnostics and treatment.

Scientists have made new findings on a system in the brain that naturally moderates the effects of stress.

Adolescents girls with sexual abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder experienced greater benefit from prolonged exposure therapy (a type of therapy that has been shown effectiveness for adults) than from supportive counseling, according to a study.

Neuroscientists studying the olfactory -- sense of smell -- system in mice have discovered that fear reaction can occur at the sensory level, even before the brain has the opportunity to interpret that the odor could mean trouble.

A new study shows that high levels of maternal care during the early post-natal period in rodents can reduce the sensitivity of the offspring to stressful events during adulthood. Maternal care is shown to chemically modify and thereby re-program genes that control stress responses, making them less likely to be activated. The findings have important implications for understanding early environment influences on stress-related disorders.

In a novel study of U.S. Marines investigating the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over time, a team of scientists report that TBIs suffered during active-duty deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan were the greatest predictor for subsequent PTSD, but found pre-deployment PTSD symptoms and high combat intensity were also significant factors.

Private contractors who worked in Iraq, Afghanistan or other conflict environments over the past two years report suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression more often than military personnel who served in recent conflicts, according to a new study. Researchers found that among the contractors studied, 25 percent met criteria for PTSD, 18 percent screened positive for depression and half reported alcohol misuse. Relatively few get help either before or after deployment.

A new brief therapy eases symptoms of combat-related psychological trauma, a nursing study shows. The research suggests Accelerated Resolution Therapy may be an option for veterans who do not respond optimally to conventional therapies endorsed by the Department of Defense and VA.

Stepping away from the television, computer screen or smartphone in the aftermath of terrorist attacks or mass shootings may be beneficial to your mental health. A new study shows that six or more daily hours of exposure to coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings in the week afterward was linked to more acute stress than having been at the event. Acute stress symptoms increased with each additional hour of media exposure.

Three new studies expose the high prevalence of epilepsy and other neurological disorders in US Veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. The research conducted from these studies indicate that veterans are at a particularly high risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epileptic seizure diagnoses.

Veterans who suffer from anxiety may not get appropriate treatment for want of a specific diagnosis, finds a new study.

Pioneering research points to a promising avenue for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: utilizing neurofeedback training to alter the plasticity of brain networks linked to the condition. During neurofeedback, intentional control of one's own brain activity may be learned with what's called a brain-computer interface, which is able to represent graphically a person's real-time brain activation on a computer.

New research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) not only reduces symptoms but also affects the underlying biology of this disorder.

There is growing concern that long-term untreated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may increase the risk of developing a number of medical problems, particularly compromised cardiovascular health. Considering that up to 30% of veterans suffer from PTSD, this is an important goal.

Using a special type of magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have found that soldiers who suffered mild traumatic brain injury induced by blast exposure exhibit long-term brain differences, according to a new study.

While fewer than 10 percent (8.4 percent) of the mothers were suffering from PTSD, more than a fifth (21 percent) of their children presented PTSD symptoms in a recent study on the topic. Children who developed PTSD symptoms also had more psychosomatic complaints such as constipation, diarrhea and headaches.

Materialism makes negative outcomes even worse, according to research.

A team of researchers has just shown that interneurons located in the forebrain at the level of the prefrontal cortex are heavily involved in the control of fear responses.

Women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) gain weight more rapidly and are more likely to be overweight or obese than women without the disorder, find researchers. It is the first study to look at the relationship between PTSD and obesity over time.

Teens that have had a parent or sibling on military deployment were more likely to have suicidal thoughts or be depressed than teens without military connections, finds a new study.

Research examines whether prison inmates with military backgrounds are more likely to misbehave.

Researchers have found that a new protocol that uses preventive blood-thinning medication in the treatment of patients with traumatic brain injuries reduces the risk of patients developing life-threatening blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding inside the brain.

According to a new study, many Boston-area military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder experienced flashbacks, unwanted memories and other psychological effects as a result of the Boston Marathon Bombing in April 2013.

In order for prolonged exposure therapy, an evidence-based psychotherapy for post traumatic stress disorder, to reach its full potential, any misperceptions or ruptures in trust and communication between therapist and client need fixing.

Childhood neglect and abuse, whether physical or psychological, confers a lifetime vulnerability to stress, anxiety, and mood problems. Such early-life stress is also suspected to contribute to the development of chronic pain in adulthood. In fact, there is growing concern that chronic pain syndromes may be a complication of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, this link is particularly challenging to study because many stressful events that produce PTSD also produce physical trauma.

A stem cell therapy previously shown to reduce inflammation in the critical time window after traumatic brain injury also promotes lasting cognitive improvement, according to preclinical research.

Children of survivors of extremely stressful life events face adjustment challenges of their own, as has been most carefully studied among the children of Nazi Death Camp survivors. This "intergenerational" transmission of stress response has been studied predominately from the psychological perspective. However, recent research points to biological contributions as well.

A neuroscientist has found that the region of the brain involved in stimulus-response learning is directly linked to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. More specifically, she discovered that people who resorted to stimulus-response learning smoked more, had double the consumption of alcohol and were more likely to use cannabis.

Neuroscientists report that exposure therapy, a common treatment for anxiety disorders, remodels an inhibitory junction in the mouse brain. The findings improve the understanding of how exposure therapy suppresses fear responses and may aid in the development of more effective treatments for anxiety disorders.