PTSD Tag

23 Oct

Posted at 21:05h in Accidents & Violence, Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health and Substance Use Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment. If you are struggling with substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988. In an emergency, call 911. Treatment programs named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

When people look into addiction treatment, two terms come up often: trauma-informed care and trauma-focused therapy. They sound alike, but they mean different things.

The difference matters when choosing care. A program may use respectful, trauma-informed practices without offering a specific PTSD therapy. Knowing what each term means helps patients and families ask clearer questions about the support available.

22 Oct

Posted at 19:35h in PTSD, Social Issues

Mental Health Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If distressing symptoms last more than a few weeks or interfere with daily life, talk with a licensed mental health professional or your doctor. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741. If you feel unsafe in your relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. In an emergency, call 911. Providers named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Have you ever felt your whole world flip upside down in a single moment? That's how discovering an affair feels to many people. One text. One hotel bill. One drunken confession. And suddenly all you thought you knew about your partner disappears.

Here's what most people don't realize: heartbreak doesn't just affect your heart. It can also affect you physically and mentally in ways that mirror post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

21 Oct

Posted at 18:39h in PTSD

Mental Health Notice: This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. TMS is FDA-cleared for certain conditions, including major depressive disorder, but its use for PTSD is considered off-label. Talk with a qualified provider about whether TMS is appropriate for you. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), text HOME to 741741, or call 911 in an emergency. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. Providers named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Many people with post-traumatic stress disorder do everything they are told. They attend therapy. They try medications. They practice coping skills. And still, the nightmares continue, the startle response stays on high alert, and the memories keep intruding. It can feel exhausting and discouraging.

If that sounds familiar, it does not mean you are beyond help.

28 Sep

Posted at 20:54h in Author Interviews

Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use or a mental health crisis, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7). Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision.

A substantial share of people entering treatment for substance use are also living with a mental health condition. Federal survey data has consistently put the overlap in the range of roughly half of adults with a substance use disorder, and among people seeking treatment the proportion tends to run higher still. This is not a footnote — it changes what effective care has to look like. According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders — addressing both conditions simultaneously through a coordinated clinical team — is the recognized standard of practice, and programs that treat only one condition while leaving the other unaddressed consistently produce worse outcomes.

The Role of Dual Diagnosis Care in Long-Term Addiction Recovery

10 Jun

Posted at 01:45h in PTSD

Complex PTSD develops from repeated or prolonged trauma and affects emotional regulation, self-image, and relationships. Here is a complete guide to C-PTSD symptoms, causes, and evidence-based treatment approaches. ...

30 Apr

Posted at 14:35h in PTSD
  [caption id="attachment_73553" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Freepix image[/caption]

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.

Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, visit FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

U.S. veterans or service members in crisis can call 988 then press "1" for the Veterans Crisis Line, text 838255, or chat online.

The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has a Spanish language line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

Two veterans walk into the same clinic. Both have nightmares. Both startle at fireworks. Both have been told they have PTSD. One responds well to a standard twelve-week trauma protocol. The other gets worse. The difference is rarely about effort, willingness, or "how bad" the trauma was. It's often about which kind of post-traumatic injury they're actually carrying — and whether the treatment plan was built for it.

27 Nov

Posted at 11:46h in Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, PTSD
[caption id="attachment_71569" align="aligncenter" width="500"]CPTSD Pexels[/caption] Complex post-traumatic stress disorder, often shortened to CPTSD or cPTSD, has moved from a niche clinical idea to a term many people now use for their own lived experience. At the same time, it is still not listed as a standalone diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). That leaves many people asking a very specific question: Will CPTSD be added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2026? The most accurate answer is that there is currently no official commitment to adding complex PTSD to the DSM in 2026. As of late 2025, CPTSD is recognized in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition (ICD-11), but not in the DSM-5 Text Revision (DSM-5 TR). Clinicians and researchers are actively debating whether a new CPTSD diagnosis should be included in a future DSM edition, yet no formal decision or fixed timeline has been announced. The question itself opens the door to important issues and questions, which MedicalResearch.com will review and address in this article. How do major diagnostic manuals change over time? Why is CPTSD in the ICD but not in the DSM? And what does any of this mean if you or someone you love is living with the effects of long-term trauma?

25 Jun

Posted at 19:28h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, Veterans
[caption id="attachment_69223" align="aligncenter" width="500"]veterans-addiction-military-recovery Photo by Specna Arms[/caption] For many service members, the most difficult fight isn’t on the battlefield—it’s the one that starts after returning home. Reintegrating into civilian life can be filled with unseen challenges, especially when it comes to mental health and substance use. That’s why specialized military addiction treatment is more than a service—it’s a lifeline. At Sequoia Recovery Centers, we understand the unique struggles faced by veterans and active-duty personnel. And we believe they deserve care that honors their experience, meets them with dignity, and helps them reclaim their strength.

The Reality: Substance Use in the Military Community

Military personnel often face intense stress, trauma, and pressure to remain strong at all costs. This culture can make it difficult to acknowledge pain—let alone ask for help. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
  • 1 in 10 veterans has a substance use disorder (SUD)
  • Veterans with PTSD are 2 to 4 times more likely to struggle with addiction
  • Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance, though opioid and prescription drug misuse are on the rise
Unfortunately, stigma, fear of discharge, and limited access to tailored treatment often delay recovery.

28 May

Posted at 11:01h in Legal-Malpractice, PTSD
[caption id="attachment_68821" align="aligncenter" width="500"]ptsd-affects-legal-outcomes Photo by RDNE Stock project[/caption] PTSD is experienced by about 5% or roughly 13 million Americans. An individual who is exposed to or has witnessed a traumatic incident can develop a condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Contributing incidents can include sexual violence, physical abuse, natural disasters, or serious accidents. PTSD lawyer Jeffrey D. Wolf recommends that if an individual has PTSD, it is important to call a medical professional to testify regarding the diagnosis of the disorder and the future treatment required to treat the patient. Psychological trauma, as is the case with physical injuries, can impact personal injury claims and lawsuits. The adverse effects of PTSD are acknowledged by courts and insurance companies. This article will explore how PTSD is evaluated in personal injury cases and the steps you can take to strengthen your claim.

23 May

Posted at 18:37h in Mental Health Research, PTSD
[caption id="attachment_68711" align="aligncenter" width="500"]veterans-trauma-ptsd Source[/caption]

Trauma Leaves Deep Marks—But It Doesn’t Have to Define You

For many people, trauma is not just a memory—it’s a constant undercurrent. It shapes the way you think, feel, and respond to the world around you. Whether it's the result of childhood abuse, loss, violence, or years of chronic stress, unresolved trauma can disrupt every area of life—from relationships and career to sleep, physical health, and emotional regulation. That’s why effective trauma recovery isn’t just about managing symptoms. It’s about addressing the root cause. And in many cases, that requires stepping into a safe, immersive environment designed specifically for healing. Programs that offer residential treatment for trauma provide that space—where time, structure, and support converge to create real transformation.

28 Apr

Posted at 11:23h in Legal-Malpractice, Mental Health Research, Occupational Health, PTSD
The Role of Mental Health Professionals in Proving Emotional Distress Emotional injury is the psychological pain inflicted by another's act or failure to act, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD. In Jackson's court cases, such as workers' compensation or personal injury, one needs to establish such effects, although it is difficult because there is no physical evidence. If you're looking for a claim of emotional distress, a personal injury lawyer in Jackson can help you navigate the process. The professional can also ensure mental health professionals affirm your claim so that the case becomes more sound through professional diagnoses and reports. Let us take a look at the major role that mental health practitioners play in determining emotional distress and how their presence can seal a case.

25 Apr

Posted at 11:41h in Accidents & Violence, Mental Health Research
Summerlin is known for its clean streets, scenic walking trails, master-planned neighborhoods, and an overall reputation for being one of the safest, most peaceful areas in the Las Vegas Valley. Unfortunately, that safety doesn’t mean pedestrians are always protected. Even in a well-designed suburb like Summerlin, where people take pride in the planned beauty of the community, pedestrian accidents happen, and when they do, the effects go way beyond the physical. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Summerlin is the one you should go to if you suffer any such effects. This article is about those effects. Not just the broken bones or twisted ankles. We’re going to talk about what happens in your mind when you’re walking down a street and suddenly a driver fails to notice you.

19 Mar

Posted at 17:31h in Accidents & Violence
  [caption id="attachment_67296" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Catastrophic Injuries -pedestrian accidents.png Photo by cottonbro studio[/caption] Pedestrian accidents are among the most devastating events on the road, often resulting in life-altering injuries. Unfortunately, these accidents are frequent in bustling cities like Phoenix, where pedestrian traffic is common. To increase awareness and promote safety, it is essential to comprehend the different kinds of injuries that might happen. With its sprawling urban landscape and high traffic volume, Phoenix sees its fair share of pedestrian accidents. The city's warm climate encourages walking but also raises the possibility of collisions, particularly in places with a lot of traffic. Serious injuries can result from such events, and they frequently need long-term care and intensive medical attention. In these situations, consulting a pedestrian accident lawyer in Phoenix can be essential to navigate the legal intricacies and secure compensation for the victim. Let's look at some of the most common catastrophic injuries that can occur in pedestrian accidents:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

One of the most common and fatal injuries sustained in pedestrian accidents is traumatic brain injury. When a pedestrian is struck by a car, their head often hits the ground or another object, which can cause brain injury. TBIs, which can range from minor concussions to significant brain injury, can have a negative influence on motor skills, memory, and cognitive function. Some victims require lifelong care, and recovery can be costly and time-consuming.

17 Mar

Posted at 12:51h in Accidents & Violence, Brain Injury
[caption id="attachment_67191" align="aligncenter" width="500"]lasting-effects-trauma Image source[/caption] Experiences that cause trauma create major long-term effects on how people respond to their environment by interrupting their mental and emotional operations. Research indicates that multiple people encounter unresolvable mental and neurological damage after experiencing traumatic incidents, even though some survivors demonstrate recovery capabilities. Brain function and brain structure changes emerge from trauma, according to research, which generates prolonged effects on emotional health alongside memory and stress reaction capabilities. Therapy and structured treatment programs, including intensive outpatient programs (IOP Knoxville and similar services), prove useful in dealing with these transformations while facilitating recovery.

19 Dec

Posted at 02:27h in addiction-treatment, Mental Health Research
Editor's note: This piece discusses mental health issues. If you have experienced suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide and want to seek help, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. emotional-trauma.jpg Let’s face it—life is unpredictable, and the likelihood of encountering problems that can be traumatizing are never zero. Although emotional trauma is commonly associated with mental health, symptoms can occur beyond the brain too. Whether it be surviving a car crash or experiencing abuse, the human body will tend to display an array of physical symptoms as a response to emotional trauma developed from highly stressful events. With 70% of American adults experiencing a traumatic event during their lifetime, exploring the physical responses that signify emotional trauma is an important conversation to have.  

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a long term emotional response to severely stressful events that can physically, emotionally and mentally overwhelm the affected person. Trauma can significantly affect our daily lives through our sense of self, safety, and ability to manage our emotions and relationships. In fact, traumatic events can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); a mental health condition that can develop after a traumatic event. Statistics highlight that about five out of every 100 adults in the United States have PTSD in any given year. Women are also more likely to develop PTSD than men. This is partly due to the kinds of traumatic events that women are more likely to encounter, such as sexual assault. 

02 Dec

Posted at 16:37h in PTSD, Social Issues, Veterans
Veterans returning from service often carry the invisible burdens of their experiences, making the transition to civilian life a challenging journey. Mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety can make it difficult for many veterans to reintegrate, often leading to unemployment, relationship struggles, and, for far too many, homelessness. While the causes of veteran homelessness are complex, a major factor is untreated or inadequately treated mental health issues. Addressing these mental health needs through timely and effective support is essential in reducing homelessness among veterans. [caption id="attachment_65241" align="aligncenter" width="500"]veterans-veteran-homeless Photo by RDNE Stock project[/caption]

The Connection Between Mental Health and Homelessness

Research has shown that veterans are at a significantly higher risk of homelessness than the general population. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), veterans make up a sizable portion of the homeless population, with mental health challenges being one of the primary contributors. Conditions like PTSD and depression often stem from experiences in combat zones, which can include exposure to violence, the loss of fellow soldiers, and extended periods of high stress. These mental health conditions not only create emotional and psychological distress but can also disrupt a veteran’s ability to secure stable employment, form supportive relationships, and engage with their community. For instance, untreated PTSD can lead to symptoms such as hypervigilance, sleep disorders, and emotional numbness, all of which can interfere with daily life. Without treatment, veterans may find themselves isolated, unable to hold a steady job, and financially insecure—factors that often lead to homelessness.

15 Nov

Posted at 14:34h in Mental Health Research
Editor's note: This piece discusses mental health. If you have experienced suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide and want to seek help, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. [caption id="attachment_64785" align="aligncenter" width="500"]somatic-therapy-1 Source[/caption] Somatic therapy is an ideal way to handle a lot of different kinds of mental health concerns. Somatic therapy can be tailored to your specific needs as it is a very flexible kind of therapy. Somatic therapy can be ideal for those who live in busy city environments or even for those with high-paced jobs. Somatic therapy in NYC is easier to take advantage of than you might think. If you have been feeling stressed, worried for no reason that you can identify, or even scared about the future, somatic therapy might be the right treatment modality for your needs.

What Can Somatic Therapy Help With?

Somatic therapy is a highly versatile treatment option. You can use movement, meditation, and even visualization within your somatic therapy regimen. Working with a somatic therapy expert can help you to attend to previous trauma, deal with new stressors, and connect with your needs in a more effective way.

1.      Anxiety

Are you feeling scared to go out on the street and walk in crowds of people? Are you worried about your loved ones almost constantly for no reason? Are you feeling like something bad is going to happen to you even when everything seems to be totally fine in your life? Anxiety is quite common. Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 3 adults. Feeling anxious can make your life stressful, scary, and just generally unpleasant. Your anxiety might escalate to a state where you experience physical symptoms if it is left untreated. Being anxious doesn’t have to be the norm. You can seek the help of a somatic therapist to help control your anxiety effectively. Anxiety is one of the things that somatic therapy is great at treating, and you will see positive changes when it comes to controlling your anxiety right away.

31 Oct

Posted at 10:09h in Mental Health Research
If you or ae a loved one who is in danger of suicide or has made a suicide attempt, make sure someone stays with that person. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.   [caption id="attachment_64431" align="aligncenter" width="500"]therapy self care Source Unsplash[/caption] Almost every Hollywood depiction of therapy shows an elderly-looking man sitting in a chair across from his patient, a notepad in hand. “And how did it make you feel?” he asks while adjusting his glasses for effect. Those who regularly attend therapy sessions know that’s not how it works. With the emphasis on “regular”, therapy has changed how people live their lives and helped them unlearn toxic behavior. Call it the dismantling of problematic patterns if you must. Whatever your thoughts on therapy, one undeniable fact is that it serves your mental health and well-being. Many people swear that therapy is the best form of self-care. While the aim is always the same, the pathway to healing can take different routes.  Below, we’ll explain how different types of therapy can be food for the soul and how they can address diverse challenges. 

21 Oct

Posted at 16:40h in Mental Health Research
  [caption id="attachment_64167" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Therapy as Self Care Source[/caption] Almost every Hollywood depiction of therapy shows an elderly-looking man sitting in a chair across from his patient, a notepad in hand. “And how did it make you feel?” he asks while adjusting his glasses for effect. Those who regularly attend therapy sessions know that’s not how it works. With the emphasis on “regular”, therapy has changed how people live their lives and helped them unlearn toxic behavior. Call it the dismantling of problematic patterns if you must. Whatever your thoughts on therapy, one undeniable fact is that it serves your mental health and well-being. Many people swear that therapy is the best form of self-care. While the aim is always the same, the pathway to healing can take different routes.  Below, we’ll explain how different types of therapy can be food for the soul and how they can address diverse challenges.

19 Apr

Posted at 00:01h in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Mental Health Research, NIH
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61582" align="alignleft" width="135"]Sharon Dekel PhDPrincipal Investigator Director of the Postpartum Traumatic Stress Disorders Research Program Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, 02114 Dr. Dekel[/caption] Sharon Dekel PhD Principal Investigator Director of the Postpartum Traumatic Stress Disorders Research Program Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, 02114 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Maternal psychopathologies affect a significant number of American women and are the leading complications of childbirth and a significant contributor to maternal death. Maternal (physical) morbidity in the US remain the highest among all countries in the West, suggesting that some women will have a traumatic childbirth experience. The most common mental illness associated with trauma is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD stemming from childbirth is estimated to affect 6% of delivering women (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28443054/). In high-risk groups, for example women who have unscheduled Cesareans the rate is estimated at 20% or higher (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31041603/.). Although we screen for postpartum depression in hospitals in the USA there is no screening for what we define as childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD). The overarching goal of the Dekel Lab is to develop novel and patient-friendly screening tools to identify women with this disorder. As importantly traumatic childbirth disproportionality affects Black and Latina women (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35598158/).

06 Oct

Posted at 06:00h in PTSD
Even when you have had the best military training available it is almost impossible to prepare your mind and body for the violence and traumatic experiences you might endure during active service. The threat of PTSD and other health issues is very real, such as veterans experiencing shell shock and still trying to process that experience many years later. Here is a look at some of the main health issues that a veteran might experience. Mental health challenges ptsd-veterans-warWearing the physical scars of war is just one side of the story. Many veterans can suffer significant mental health challenges long after they retire from active duty. The very real threat of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been well publicized in recent years. It is estimated that PTSD affects as many as 15% of veterans who fought in the Iraq war, for instance. Depression and alcohol abuse are other mental health issues faced by a percentage of veterans.

27 Jul

Posted at 23:12h in Author Interviews, PLoS, PTSD
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59346" align="alignleft" width="150"]Clare Jensen O’Haire Research Team Center for the Human-Animal Bond Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Clare Jensen[/caption] Clare Jensen O’Haire Research Team Center for the Human-Animal Bond Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: Service dogs for PTSD are becoming more common and the evidence shows they can help improve mental health and quality of life for many veterans with PTSD. However, some veterans benefit more than others. Our research goal was to ask for the very first time: Why?

07 May

Posted at 09:44h in Author Interviews, Columbia, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Depression, Mental Health Research, PTSD
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57358" align="alignleft" width="137"]João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD (he/him) NIDA INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellow Policy and Health Initiatives on Opioids and Other Substances (PHIOS) Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York, NY 10032 Dr. Castaldelli-Maia[/caption] João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD (he/him) NIDA INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellow Policy and Health Initiatives on Opioids and Other Substances (PHIOS) Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York, NY 10032 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response:     It remains unclear whether COVID-19 is associated with psychiatric symptoms during or after the acute illness phase. Being affected by the disease exposes the individual to an uncertain prognosis and a state of quarantine. These factors can predispose individuals to the development of mental symptoms during or after the acute phase of the disease. There is a need for prospective studies assessing psychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients in the post-infection period.

21 Oct

Posted at 21:37h in Author Interviews, Depression, Mental Health Research, Nature, PTSD
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55709" align="alignleft" width="125"]Amit Etkin, MD, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford Universitu Stanford, CA Dr. Etkin[/caption] Amit Etkin, MD, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford Universitu Stanford, CA    MedicalResearch.com: What is the mission of Cohen Veterans Bioscience - CVB?  Cohen Veterans Bioscience Response: Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) research biotech dedicated to fast-tracking the development of diagnostic tests and personalized therapeutics for the millions of Veterans and civilians who suffer the devastating effects of trauma-related and other brain disorders.     MedicalResearch.com: How can patients with PTSD or MDD benefit from this information? Response: With the discovery of this new brain imaging biomarker, patients who suffer from PTSD or MDD may be guided towards the most effective treatment without waiting months and months to find a treatment that may work for them.   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: This study, which was supported with a grant from Cohen Veterans Bioscience, grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH and other supporters, derives from our work over the past few years which has pointed to the critical importance of understanding how patients with a variety of psychiatric disorders differ biologically. The shortcomings of our current diagnostic system have become very clear over the past 1-2 decades, but the availability of tools for transcending these limitations on the back of objective biological tests has not kept pace with the need for those tools. In prior work, we have used a variety of methods, including different types of brain imaging, to identify brain signals that underpin key biological differences within and across traditional psychiatric diagnoses. We have also developed specialized AI tools for decoding complex patterns of brain activity in order to understand and quantify biological heterogeneity in individual patients. These developments have then, in turn, converged with the completion of a number of large brain imaging-coupled clinical trials, which have provided a scale of these types of data not previously available in the field.

20 Nov

Posted at 16:39h in Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, PTSD, Surgical Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52215" align="alignleft" width="147"]Michael A. Vella, M.D., M.B.A. Assistant Professor of Surgery Division of Acute Care Surgery and Trauma University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Dr. Vella[/caption] Michael A. Vella, M.D., M.B.A. Assistant Professor of Surgery Division of Acute Care Surgery and Trauma University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: There is a lot of (appropriate) focus on the mortality statistics related to gun violence, but sometimes we forget about the large number of survivors of gunshot wounds.  We wanted to specifically look at the long term physical and mental health outcomes in this patient population.

21 Aug

Posted at 17:16h in Author Interviews, Diabetes, JAMA, PTSD
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_50945" align="alignleft" width="174"]Jeff Scherrer, Ph.D. Associate professor; Research director Department of Family and Community Medicine Saint Louis University Center for Health Outcomes Research Dr. Jeff Scherrer[/caption] Jeff Scherrer, Ph.D. Associate professor; Research director Department of Family and Community Medicine Saint Louis University Center for Health Outcomes Research  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: This study was part of a larger NIH grant to determine if PTSD is associated with poor health behaviors and subsequently whether PTSD remains an independent risk factor for diabetes and heart disease.  Our second focus of the grant was to measure if those patients who experience clinically meaningful PTSD improvement have improved health behaviors (e.g. seeking help to lose weight) and a lower risk for diabetes and heart disease. The rationale for this study of PTSD improvement and lower risk for diabetes is supported from other investigators' findings that PTSD treatment completion is often followed by improvement in sleep, depression, pain and general physical complaints and lower blood pressure.  Because we have found the association between PTSD and incident diabetes is largely explained by obesity, depression and other comorbid conditions that are more common in patients with vs. without PTSD, we hypothesized that improvements in PTSD would be associated with lower risk of diabetes either directly or due to improvements in these comorbid diabetes risk factors.

13 Jun

Posted at 15:55h in Author Interviews, JAMA, PTSD
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_49746" align="alignleft" width="178"]Dr. Heike Gerger | Senior Postdoc University of Basel | Faculty of Psychology | Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Basel | Switzerland Dr. Gerger[/caption] Dr. Heike Gerger | Senior Postdoc University of Basel | Faculty of Psychology | Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Basel | Switzerland MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders, with a high risk of chronicity, comorbidity, and functional impairment. PTSD is complicated to treat, and the debate on the most efficacious treatment approach is ongoing. Treatment guidelines for the treatment of PTSD typically recommend different types of trauma-focused psychotherapeutic treatments as first-line PTSD treatment. However, concerning pharmacological therapies recommendations are inconsistent.

22 Apr

Posted at 18:18h in Author Interviews, NYU/NYMC, PTSD, Technology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_48742" align="alignleft" width="200"]Charles R. Marmar, MDThe Lucius N. Littauer Professor Chair of the Department of PsychiatryNYU Langone School of Medicine Dr. Marmar[/caption] Charles R. Marmar, MD The Lucius N. Littauer Professor Chair of the Department of Psychiatry NYU Langone School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: Several studies in recent years have attempted to identify biological markers that distinguish individuals with PTSD, with candidate markers including changes in brain cell networks, genetics, neurochemistry, immune functioning, and psychophysiology. Despite such advances, the use of biomarkers for diagnosing PTSD remained elusive going into the current study, and no physical marker was applied in the clinic. Our study is the first to compare speech in an age and gender matched sample of a military population with and without PTSD, in which PTSD was assessed by a clinician, and in which all patients did not have a major depressive disorder. Because measuring voice qualities in non-invasive, inexpensive and might be done over the phone, many labs have sought to design speech-based diagnostic tools