Articles Tagged ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’

BioPsychoSocial Health | By April 16, 2008 | By Lindsey Kay, MD | 0 Comments

A Genetic Susceptibility to PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been in the news a lot lately, primarily due to the prevalence of PTSD in Iraq war veterans. PTSD can occur following any severely stressful event, and recent research has shown that some individuals are genetically “at-risk” for its development.

A study of adult victims of childhood trauma compared the occurrence of PTSD and genetic variations in the FKBP5 gene, which is related to stress response. Not surprisingly, the study found that both abusive and nonabusive childhood traumatic events were linked to the development of PTSD. In addition, four specific variations of the FKBP5 gene significantly increased the risk of PTSD in child abuse victims. This effect was still present after controlling for depression severity, age, sex, and the occurrence of other kinds of trauma. Read more →

The Top Ten Secrets in the Mental Health Field, Part II | February 12, 2008 | 1 Comment

I am maintaining a list of the top ten “secrets” in the mental health field. Here is Part II, items five up to the big number one (items six to ten are can be found in Part I):

1. Cognitive problems

Cognitive disabilities can have a tremendous effect on people who appear to be fairly high functioning. This problem is not assessed enough and it is not treated enough. This abdication of responsibility is causing many people to lose their livelihoods, to have disrupted lives, to become homeless, and to suicide. Read more →

Mind-Brain Connection: PTSD and Concussions | February 05, 2008 | 2 Comments

The February 1st edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that suffering a concussion in Iraq after a bomb attack was strongly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more →

Brain Blogging, Nineteenth Edition | October 15, 2007 | 3 Comments

Welcome to the nineteenth edition of Brain Blogging — a semi-monthly blog carnival that aims to review posts “related to the brain and mind that go beyond the basic sciences into a more human and multidimensional perspective.” Read more →

Anxiety – More Than Just a Case of Nerves | March 30, 2006 | 0 Comments

Until a few days ago, I’d never heard of the Center for Gender Equity and National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. That’s when I viewed the program “Anxiety Disorders: More Than a Case of Nerves”. The keynote speaker was Ellen Haller, M.D., Professor Director of the WomenCare Mental Health Program in the UCSF’s Department of Psychiatry. Read more →

Living with a Brain Disorder: Nicole, 26-30, Bipolar & PTSD | March 25, 2006 | 0 Comments

Interviewee: Nicole, age 26-30, from Washington was diagnosed with “Bipolar 2 Disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”.

I became depressed many years ago when I was 21 years old. It started after I had flashbacks to my childhood where it began to show me I was molested by someone. For a couple of years I ignored it all. I began sleeping all day and felt very bad about myself. Now I have so much build up in me I xlpode into a crying rage and I cant concentrate on anything. Everything I see makes me cry then i am ok for a few hours then it starts all over again. I have been diagnosed now as if yestarday and I am having a hard time understanding any of this. I am seeing a Psychologist.

… Read more →