ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre

English

DHEA and DHEA-S levels in posttraumatic stress disorder : A meta-analytic review

Differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) functioning between patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and controls are among the most consistent neurobiological findings in PTSD. HPA-axis activation results in the output of various steroid hormones including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is then converted into dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), with anti-glucocorticoid actions among its pleiotropic effects.

Individual variation in plasma oxytocin and vasopressin levels in relation to the development of combat-related PTSD in a large military cohort

In an attempt to decrease the risk of developing mental health problems after military deployment, it is important to find biological markers to identify those at risk. Oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are potential biomarkers for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because they are involved in the regulation of stress and anxiety. Therefore, the aim was to examine whether plasma OT (pOT) and AVP (pAVP) levels before and after deployment are biomarkers for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms over time in addition to other known risk factors.

Proximity alert! Distance related cuneus activation in military veterans with anger and aggression problems.

Problems involving anger and aggression are common after military deployment, and may involve abnormal responses to threat. This study therefore investigated effects on neural activation related to threat and escapability among veterans with deployment experience.

Creative arts in psychotherapy treatment protocol for children after trauma

In this article we introduce a Creative Arts in Psychotherapy (CAP) treatment protocol for children who have been traumatized, aiming to enhance their psychological wellbeing and strengthening positive development. The protocol combines principles of group dynamics and multimodal arts activities in order to facilitate healing through the three stages of the trauma recovery model; creating a safe space, telling the trauma story, and preparing the children to return to the community.

Oxytocin and Stress-related Disorders : Neurobiological Mechanisms and Treatment Opportunities

Novel pharmacotherapies that improve outcomes for individuals with stress-related psychiatric disorders are needed. The

neurohormone oxytocin (OT) is a promising candidate given its influence on the social–emotional brain. In this review, we

present an overview of evidence supporting OT’s utility for treating major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress

disorder.We first discuss endogenous OT, which research suggests is not yet a reliable biomarker of stress-related disorders.

The neurobiology of PTSD

The European Journal of Psychotraumatology is proud

to announce its first special issue focusing on the

neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder

(PTSD).

Since its inception, the journal has published

a number of papers on the neural mechanisms underlying

PTSD, including review articles on the biological

correlates of complex PTSD (Marinova &

Maercker, 2015), restoring large scale brain networks

in PTSD and related disorders (Lanius, Frewen,

Tursich, Jetly, & McKinnon, 2015), and pharmacological

The association between disaster vulnerability and post-disaster psychosocial service delivery across Europe

This study confirms that the developmental stage of post-disaster psychosocial support planning and

delivery systems in Europe is associated with countries’ level of disaster vulnerability. Lower

vulnerability is accompanied by more evolved planning and delivery systems. Countries in north, west

and central regions have more developed planning and delivery systems and lower vulnerability levels

than those in the south, southeast and east. The highest proportion of variance in vulnerability is

Disturbed grief : prolonged grief disorder and persistent complex bereavement disorder

What you need to know

  • When confronted with the death of a loved one, most people experience transient rather than persistent distress, and do not develop a mental health condition.

  • Bereavement, specifically the sudden, unexpected death of a loved one is associated with an elevated risk for multiple psychiatric disorders.

  • Consider prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in people with ongoing separation distress beyond the first six to 12 months of bereavement.

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