ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre

The rationale, research literature, and proposed changes to the dissociative disorders and conversion disorder in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) are presented. Dissociative identity disorder will include reference to possession as well as identity fragmentation, to make the disorder more applicable to culturally diverse situations. Dissociative amnesia will include dissociative fugue as a subtype, since fugue is a rare disorder that always involves amnesia but does not always include confused wandering or loss of personality identity.

The most prevalent mental disorders, anxiety and mood disorders, are associated with both functional and morphological brain changes that commonly involve the 'fear network' including the (medial) prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. Patients suffering from anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder often show excessive amygdala and reduced prefrontal cortex functioning. It is, however, still unclear whether these brain abnormalities disappear or diminish following effective treatment.

BackgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a major health problem among refugees worldwide.

ObjectiveTo determine the cost-effectiveness of trauma room CT compared with CT performed at the radiology department.MethodsIn this randomised controlled trial, adult patients requiring evaluation in a level 1 trauma centre were included. In the intervention hospital the CT system was located within the trauma room and in the control hospital within the radiology department. Direct and indirect medical costs of the institutionalised stay and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were calculated.ResultsA total of 1,124 patients were randomised with comparable demographic characteristics.

BackgroundCompulsivity is the repetitive, irresistible urge to perform a behavior, the experience of loss of voluntary control over this intense urge and the tendency to perform repetitive acts in a habitual or stereotyped manner. Compulsivity is part of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but may occasionally occur as stand-alone symptom following brain damage induced by cardiac arrest. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed compulsivity following cardiac arrest. We review diagnostic options, underlying mechanisms and possible treatments.

BackgroundThe two most common interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are pharmacological treatment with SSRIs such as paroxetine and psychological treatment such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). International guidelines recommend trauma-focused psychological interventions for all PTSD patients as first-line treatment (NICE). However, no clear-cut evidence is available to support this recommendation.

Early identification of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children is important to offer them appropriate and timely treatment. The Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES) is a brief self-report measure designed to screen children for PTSD. Research regarding the diagnostic validity of the CRIES is still insufficient, has been restricted to specific populations, and sample sizes have often been small. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the 8-item (CRIES-8) and 13-item (CRIES-13) versions of the CRIES in a large clinically referred sample.

Reviews the book Trauma counselling: Theories and interventions by Lisa Lopez Levers (editor). ISBN: 978-0-8261-0683-4