A shot of cortisone stops traumatic stress

As soldiers return home from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, America must cope with the toll that war takes on mental health. But the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is becoming increasingly expensive, and promises to escalate as yet another generation of veterans tries to heal its psychological wounds.

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Marijuana administration after a traumatic experience prevents post-traumatic stress symptoms

Cannabinoids (marijuana) administration after experiencing a traumatic event blocks the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms in rats, according to a new study conducted at the University of Haifa and published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

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Veterans show a 50 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms after 8 weeks of Transcendental Meditation

Veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars showed a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after just eight weeks of practicing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique, according to a pilot study published in the June 2011 issue of Military Medicine (Volume 176, Number 6).

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Pivotal study finds link between PTSD and dementia

More study needed to determine why veterans with PTSD are more at risk than others

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.

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PTSD: The serotonin system influences vulnerability and treatment

Philadelphia, PA, 17 June, 2010 - There is a great deal of interest in factors that contribute to the vulnerability to developing post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. One factor that appears to contribute to the heritable vulnerability to PTSD is a variation in the gene that codes for the serotonin transporter, also known as the serotonin uptake site. Having a shorter version of the serotonin transporter gene appears to increase one’s risk for depression and PTSD after exposure to extremely stressful situations. This same gene variant increases the activation of an emotion control center in the brain, the amygdala. More recently, scientists began focusing on factors contributing to resilience to the impact of stress exposure. Could the same gene that contributes to the vulnerability to PTSD be implicated in the recovery from PTSD?

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Researchers discover method to objectively identify PTSD

Contact: Nick Hanson
hans2853@umn.edu
612-624-2449
University of Minnesota Read more