Why are some people able to recover from the trauma of a violent attack or combat zone, while others suffer from recurrent flashbacks, episodes of depression and other debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
trauma
Q&A: Terrorism Expert Jessica Stern on Her Own Terror and Trauma
For decades, Jessica Stern had been one of the nation’s leading experts on terrorism. She served on the staff of President Clinton’s National Security Council and on the Council on Foreign Relations.
A New Study Shows How We Can Prevent Some Cases of PTSD
We barely know how to treat mental illnesses, so it’s difficult to figure out how to prevent them in the first place. But as I wrote at some length last year, research into stopping breakdowns before they occur has advanced …
Study: Brain Injuries On the Rise Among Teen Basketball Players
As childhood obesity reaches epidemic levels, anything that gets kids moving should be encouraged. But children’s sports are competitive these days. Whether at school or on traveling or club teams, young athletes are training …
In ER, inexpensive drug can slow bleeding, save lives
As many as 100,000 deaths could be prevented each year with the increased use of an inexpensive drug, according to a new study from researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In the analysis of more than 20,000 seriously injured patients from 40 different countries, researchers found deaths due to excessive blood
…
The ‘weekend effect’ may not impact trauma patients
While a recent study concluded that stroke patients may receive more aggressive treatment if they’re admitted on Saturday or Sunday, several large-scale, multi-hospital studies have revealed that patients admitted for heart attack, stroke or other cardiac incidents are more likely to suffer complications and even face greater risk of
…
Morphine may reduce PTSD risk after traumatic injury
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a growing problem in the U.S., driven largely by the prevalence of the condition among soldiers and other military personnel returning from war in Iraq and Afghanistan. PTSD, which is characterized by feelings of numbness, depression, guilt, vivid nightmares and disrupted sleep, among other
…
PTSD in children linked with poor memory function
In children, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may inhibit the function of a brain region associated with memory, according to a new study published online today in the Journal of Pediatric Psychiatry. In an effort to better understand how trauma may impact brain function in children, researchers at Stanford University School of
…