Pivotal Study Finds Link Between PTSD And Dementia In Military Veterans

On September 3, 2010, in Neurological, PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD
USS Intrepid battle ship

Results of a study reported in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest that Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a greater risk for dementia than Veterans without PTSD, even those who suffered traumatic injuries during combat. Exposure to life threatening events, like war, can cause PTSD, and there are high rates among veterans. PSTD includes symptoms such as avoiding things or people that remind a person of the trauma, nightmares, difficulty with sleep, and mood problems.

PTSD Symptoms Related To Anger And Aggressiveness Among Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans

On June 15, 2010, in PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD
Soldier

Focusing on certain post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may be key to treating anger among Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans, according to a study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Veterans Affairs researchers.

Trauma-Induced Changes To Genes May Lead To PTSD

On May 16, 2010, in PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD
DNA

A study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health suggests that traumatic experiences “biologically embed” themselves in select genes, altering their functions and leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Our findings suggest a new biological model of PTSD in which alteration of genes, induced by a traumatic event, changes [...]

Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancers 4 Times More Likely To Develop PTSD

On May 7, 2010, in Cancer, PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD
Dr. Margaret Stuber

Young adult survivors of childhood cancers are four times more likely to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than their control group siblings, a Childhood Cancer Survivors Study has found. The study focused on 6,542 childhood cancer survivors over 18 who were diagnosed with cancer between 1970 and 1986 and 368 of their siblings as a [...]

Many Veterans Not Getting Enough Treatment For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

On February 13, 2010, in PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD
American Soldier

We recently alerted you to Eric Newhouse’s work to improve veterans’ access to much needed PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatments, such as neurofeedback and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES). New evidence emerged today that supports Newhouse’s claim that soldiers need better and easier access to treatments. A new study showed that although the Department [...]

Researchers Discover Method To Objectively Identify Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

On February 7, 2010, in Brain Imaging, PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis VA Medical Center have identified a biological marker in the brains of those exhibiting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A group of 74 United States veterans were involved in the study, which for the first time objectively diagnoses PTSD using magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive measurement of magnetic fields [...]

Brain Imaging Shows Kids’ PTSD Symptoms Linked To Poor Hippocampus Function

On January 12, 2010, in Brain Imaging, PTSD, by Christopher Fisher, PhD

Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child’s brain, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor function of the hippocampus, a brain structure that stores and retrieves memories. The [...]

From Sudan – A Story of Coherent Breathing and PTSD

On December 4, 2009, in PTSD, Psychophysiology, by Stephen Elliott
women_breathing_newsletters_page

From the Coherence Newsletter, written by guest contributor Ellen Ratner, White House Correspondent and Bureau Chief for The Talk Radio News Service, author, and Fox News contributor. In March 2008, I along with other talk show hosts, was invited by Christian Solidarity International to visit Sudan on a humanitarian mission. Being very impressed with their [...]