New York, N.Y. – October 25, 2006 -- New research into Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is leading to a better understanding of its underlying neurobiology, risk factors and long-term implications. The findings are published in a recent issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences and were revealed at a conference jointly sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Researchers are studying a number of previously unexplored topics, including an examination of trauma within hours of the event, the thought processes that keep sufferers focused on the trauma and possibilities for prevention and therapy. New and promising research is engaged with mapping the neural circuitry involved in response to danger and with investigations of the complex genetics of individual risk.
Although the NIMH was created 60 years ago partly in response to an increased awareness of the psychological consequences of war, little PTSD research had been done before the Vietnam War. Since that time, PTSD has been found in veterans dating back to World War II. Although PTSD appears at a high rate among veterans, the condition is also seen in the civilian population: the events of 9/11 have increased the urgency of finding answers.
A study of the general population found that PTSD affects 5% of men and 10% of women. Studies also show a greater likelihood of PTSD development in the children of trauma survivors, including data on babies born to women who were pregnant and escaped from the World Trade Center on September 11 suggesting in utero and other developmental effects.
PTSD is a psychiatric illness that can occur after experiencing life-threatening or life-changing events and involves reliving the experience through flashbacks. The condition is frequently complicated by depression, substance abuse, memory problems and problems with physical health
This study is published in a recent issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Media wishing to receive PDFs of the articles in this issue please contact journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
Published on behalf of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Annals provide multidisciplinary perspectives on research of current scientific interest with far-reaching implications for the wider scientific community and society at large. Scope, although concentrated on biological and medical sciences, extends into fields as diverse as astronomy, psychology, anthropology and philosophy. Each publication assembles the best thinking of key contributors to a field of investigation at a time when emerging developments offer the promise of new insight. These volumes stimulate new ways to think about science by providing a neutral forum for discourse - within and across many institutions and fields. For more information, please visit: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/nyas
Blackwell Publishing is the world's leading society publisher, partnering with 665 academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 800 journals and, to date, has published more than 6,000 books, across a wide range of academic, medical, and professional subjects. For more information, please visit: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/
Journal
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences