scholarly journals Neuroimaging resilience to trauma: convergent evidence and challenges for future research

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Norbury ◽  
M. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez ◽  
Adriana Feder
Keyword(s):  
Functional Imaging ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Neuroimaging Study ◽  
Human Participants ◽  
Two Bodies ◽  
Methodological Difficulties

Resilience, or the phenomenon of successful adaptation following significant trauma exposure, is a complex, multidimensional, and dynamic process. To date, research on neural mechanisms involved in human resilience has comprised of two major research streams – involving individuals with childhood and adulthood trauma exposure, respectively. Although there are systematic differences in how both trauma and resilience have been defined across these two bodies of research, some striking regions of convergence emerge when considering the literature as a whole. Here, we review functional imaging studies from across these two research streams, alongside discussion of some of the methodological difficulties involved in quantifying both trauma and resilience in human participants. Due to the broad scope of this literature, we restrict the scope of our narrative to several key domains where studies from across these two bodies of work implicate common neural circuitry. These areas of convergence include brain networks implicated in emotion regulation, responses to rewards, and cognitive control. Further, we briefly review functional imaging evidence related to proposed mechanisms underlying resilient outcomes: namely active coping, cognitive reappraisal and successful fear extinction. Finally, we also touch upon several ongoing issues in neuroimaging study design and analysis that will need to be addressed in order to enable us to harness insight from such studies to improve treatments for – or, ideally, guard against the development of – debilitating post-traumatic stress syndromes.

scholarly journals An epistasis between dopaminergic and oxytocinergic systems confers risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in a traumatized Chinese cohort

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunlin Zhang ◽  
Gen Li ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Chengqi Cao ◽  
Ruojiao Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Ptsd Diagnosis ◽  
Psychiatric Syndrome ◽  
Chinese Cohort ◽  
Post Traumatic

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome that occurs after trauma exposure. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin have been reported to be involved in neuropathology of PTSD. Previous studies indicated that the dopamine–oxytocin interaction may contribute to behavioral disorders. Thus, exploring the epistasis (gene–gene interaction) between oxytocinergic and dopaminergic systems might be useful to reveal the genetic basis of PTSD. In this study, we analyzed two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2268498 for oxytocinergic gene OXTR and rs1801028 for dopaminergic gene DRD2 based on putative oxytocin receptor–dopamine receptor D2 (OTR–DR2) heterocomplex in a Chinese cohort exposed to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (156 PTSD cases and 978 controls). Statistical analyses did not find any single variant or gene–environment interaction (SNP × earthquake-related trauma exposure) associated with provisional PTSD diagnosis or symptoms. An OXTR–DRD2 interaction (rs2268498 × rs1801028) was identified to confer risk of provisional PTSD diagnosis (OR = 9.18, 95% CI = 3.07–27.46 and P = 7.37e-05) and further subset analysis indicated that rs2268498 genotypes controlled the association directions of rs1801028 and rs1801028 genotypes also controlled the association directions of rs2268498. Rs2268498 × rs1801028 is also associated with PTSD symptoms (P = 0.043). Our study uncovered a genetic and putative function-based contribution of dopaminergic–oxytocinergic system interaction to PTSD.

scholarly journals Treatment of adult post-traumatic stress disorder using a future-oriented writing therapy approach

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reginald D. V. Nixon ◽  
Leonard W. Kling
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Ptsd Severity

AbstractThe aim of this pilot study was to test whether a future-oriented expressive writing intervention is able to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity and associated symptoms such as depression and unhelpful trauma-related beliefs. In an uncontrolled pre-/ post-design participants attended 8 weeks of manualized therapy. Assessment was undertaken pre- and post-treatment, and participants also completed a 3-month follow-up assessment. Of the 17 participants who began therapy, 13 were treatment completers. Results indicated a significant decrease in PTSD severity, depression and unhelpful trauma-related cognitions from pre- to post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Clinically meaningful change was more modest; however, three participants reported PTSD remission at 3-month follow-up. It is concluded that expressive writing with a focus on achieving future goals and personal change may have some utility in reducing post-traumatic stress but future research will need to investigate this with greater methodological rigour before firm conclusions can be made.

Sixty years later: post-traumatic stress symptoms and current psychopathology in former German children of World War II

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 955-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Kuwert ◽  
Carsten Spitzer ◽  
Anna Träder ◽  
Harald J. Freyberger ◽  
Michael Ermann
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
World War ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Trauma Impact ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
German Children

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the amount of trauma impact, post-traumatic stress symptoms and current psychopathological distress in a sample of former German children of World War II.Methods: 93 participants were recruited through the local press, and assessed using the modified Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R).Results: Subjects reported a high qualitative and quantitative degree of trauma exposure. 13.8% reported PTSD-related symptoms after the war, and 10.8% reported current symptoms. PTSD symptoms after World War II were significantly correlated with current psychopathological distress.Conclusions: In line with other studies, our data document a high degree of trauma exposure during warchildhood. In comparison with other studies on PTSD in warchildren, there is a persisting high prevalence of war-associated PTSD symptoms in this sample. Despite some methodological limitations, our data underline the urgent need for further studies on the ageing group of former children of World War II.

scholarly journals Gene Expression Differences Between Young Adults Based on Trauma History and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin E. Bountress ◽  
Vladimir Vladimirov ◽  
Gowon McMichael ◽  
Z. Nathan Taylor ◽  
Gary Hardiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Gene Network ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Post Traumatic

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression differences associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma exposure (TE) in a three-group study design comprised of those with and without trauma exposure and PTSD.Methods: We conducted gene expression and gene network analyses in a sample (n = 45) composed of female subjects of European Ancestry (EA) with PTSD, TE without PTSD, and controls.Results: We identified 283 genes differentially expressed between PTSD-TE groups. In an independent sample of Veterans (n = 78) a small minority of these genes were also differentially expressed. We identified 7 gene network modules significantly associated with PTSD and TE (Bonferroni corrected p ≤ 0.05), which at a false discovery rate (FDR) of q ≤ 0.2, were significantly enriched for biological pathways involved in focal adhesion, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, and immune related processes among others.Conclusions: This study uses gene network analyses to identify significant gene modules associated with PTSD, TE, and controls. On an individual gene level, we identified a large number of differentially expressed genes between PTSD-TE groups, a minority of which were also differentially expressed in the independent sample. We also demonstrate a lack of network module preservation between PTSD and TE, suggesting that the molecular signature of PTSD and trauma are likely independent of each other. Our results provide a basis for the identification of likely disease pathways and biomarkers involved in the etiology of PTSD.

Prevalence and Mediating Factors of Post-Traumatic Stress in Professional Fire-Fighters

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (13) ◽  
pp. 1261-1265
Author(s):  
Allison Watters ◽  
Kevin Hamilton ◽  
J. Patrick Neary ◽  
Gregory Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Fire Fighters ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Routine Work ◽  
Post Traumatic

Previous studies on Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) in fire-fighters have typically examined group responses to unusual and traumatic events. In this study, symptoms of PTS were observed in a group of urban Canadian firefighters during routine operations in the context of typical daily work. Participants completed a PTS questionnaire as well as a workplace health questionnaire which assessed environmental and contextual factors in addition to personal health. Elevated levels of PTS were observed in 18.1% of the 105 fire-fighters studied. Those who reported elevated symptoms also reported more concern for financial issues, more worries and more concern about needing physical exercise and support services. These results indicate that emergency response professionals such as fire-fighters can develop elevated levels of PTS in the context of routine work. The findings also suggest that the development of PTS involves a complex relationship between characteristics of stressors, work related variables and other contextual factors specific to the individuals affected. Complex models are needed to account for these types of interactions, particularly in chronically stressful occupational settings. Strategies for mitigating symptoms of PTS are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered

Prevention of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arieh Y. Shalev ◽  
Anna C. Barbano ◽  
Wei Qi ◽  
Charles R. Marmar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Early Development ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) follows an exposure to traumatic events and as such its onset and early development are better charted then those of most other mental disorders. It is not surprising, therefore, that major efforts have been dedicated to preventing its occurrence before, during and after trauma exposure. This chapter discusses the rationale, desirability, feasibility and outcome of interventions designed to prevent PTSD. Several efficient interventions have been documented. Barriers to their early implementations, however, greatly reduce their effectiveness and require urgent attention.

PTSD in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Population

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Wawrzyniak ◽  
Samir Sabbag
Keyword(s):  
Minority Health ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Bisexual And Transgender ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Lgbt Populations ◽  
Sexual Minority Health

The emerging field of sexual minority health has begun to highlight the differential impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons. This chapter addresses the higher prevalence of PTSD among LGBT persons and examines the biological underpinnings of PTSD in this population. The chapter also presents risk factors for PTSD experienced by LGBT individuals. It concludes with treatment recommendations. Treatment for PTSD in LGBT populations, in addition to treatment as usual for any patient, should recognize and acknowledge the patient’s sexual identity in forming a treatment plan. Future research in this field should aim to incorporate heterosexual controls as a reference group for comparison, where applicable.

scholarly journals Optogenetic sleep enhancement improves fear-associated memory processing following trauma exposure in rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Davis ◽  
William M. Vanderheyden
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Dark Phase ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Memory Processing ◽  
Optogenetic Stimulation ◽  
Post Traumatic

Abstract Sleep disturbances are commonly found in trauma-exposed populations. Additionally, trauma exposure results in fear-associated memory impairments. Given the interactions of sleep with learning and memory, we hypothesized that increasing sleep duration following trauma exposure would restore overall function and improve trauma-induced fear-associated memory dysfunction. Here, we utilized single prolonged stress, a validated rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder, in combination with optogenetic activation of hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone containing cells to increase sleep duration. The goal of this work was to ascertain if post-trauma sleep increases are sufficient to improve fear-associated memory function. In our laboratory, optogenetic stimulation after trauma exposure was sufficient to increase REM sleep duration during both the Light and Dark Phase, whereas NREM sleep duration was only increased during the Dark Phase of the circadian day. Interestingly though, animals that received optogenetic stimulation showed significantly improved fear-associated memory processing compared to non-stimulated controls. These results suggest that sleep therapeutics immediately following trauma exposure may be beneficial and that post-trauma sleep needs to be further examined in the context of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Re-thinking trauma: Local journalism, peace-building and continuous traumatic stress (CTS) on the violent margins of Colombia

2020 ◽  
pp. 175063522093912
Author(s):  
Mathew Charles
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Peace Building ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Observation Study ◽  
Protracted Conflict ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Traumatic Stressors

The study of trauma in journalism tends to assume that trauma exposure (whether it has been a single event or a series of cumulative episodes) is past and finite. However, this article argues that the notion of trauma exposure as temporally located in the past fails to adequately capture the experiences of local, indigenous journalists living and working in contexts of protracted conflict or violence. There is a growing, if contested, acknowledgement that existing conceptualizations of traumatic stress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have limited utility in conditions of ongoing violence and danger. In contrast, and based on a participant observation study conducted over three years, this article proposes a spectrum of continuous traumatic stressors and charts the continuous traumatic stress (CTS) of four local reporters in Colombia, living and working in a context of intractable conflict. In this setting, where local journalists have become agents for peace, CTS conjoins the mental wellbeing of individual reporters with their capacity for peace-building.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document