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.

From shell-shock to PTSD, a century of invisible war trauma

In the wake of World War I, some veterans returned wounded, but not with obvious physical injuries. Instead, their symptoms were similar to those that had previously been associated with hysterical women – most commonly amnesia, or some kind of paralysis or inability to communicate with no clear physical cause.

Moral forces : interpreting ethical challenges in militairy operations

The studies presented in this dissertation reveal three broad types of ethical challenges during military operations at an individual level that are caused by social interactions of military personnel, regardless of rank. The first encompasses ethical challenges related to encounters with other individuals from another culturel background, like the local population. The second comprises work-related interactions such as those with fellow team members. The third are ethical challenges as a result of interactions with the home front.

Effect of Group vs Individual Cognitive Processing: Therapy in Active-Duty Military Seeking Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE Cognitive processing therapy (CPT), an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has not been tested as an individual treatment among active-duty military. Group CPT may be an efficient way to deliver treatment. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of CPT on PTSD and co-occurring symptoms and whether they differ when administered in an individual or a group format.

Psychological interventions for children and young people affected by armed conflict or political violence : a systematic literature review

Youths exposed to armed conflict have a higher prevalence of mental health and psychosocial difficulties. Diverse interventions exist that aim to ameliorate the effect of armed conflict on the psychological and psychosocial wellbeing of conflict affected youths. However, the evidence base for the effectiveness of these interventions is limited. Using standard review methodology, this review aims to address the effectiveness of psychological interventions employed among this population. The search was performed across four databases and grey literature.

The microcosms of violence

Acts of violence are often studied as facts, not as cultural and symbolic expressions.Within this article,

the author will shed light on another dimension; explaining how a personal experience of unprovoked

assault changed the author’s scholarly vision of the intrusive nature of violence, as well as how violence

in£uences the subjective perception of victims. He will show that during that moment of violence, all

cultural meaning unravels and the social imagery of the perpetrator is internalised by those that are victimised.

A review of research on moral injury in combat veterans

The moral injury construct has been proposed to describe the suffering some veterans experience when they engage in acts during combat that violate their beliefs about their own goodness or the goodness of the world. These experiences are labeled transgressive acts to identify them as potentially traumatic experiences distinct from the fear-based traumas associated with posttraumatic stress disorder.

A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Sub-Dissociative Dose Ketamine Pilot Study in the Treatment of Acute Depression and Suicidality in a Military Emergency Department Setting

Background: Rates of completed suicide in the military have increased. Options are limited for acute relief of depression and suicidal ideation. Traditional treatments' effects take weeks to months. A novel, rapid, therapeutic target has emerged with the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine. Previous studies suggest that a single dose of intravenous (IV) ketamine rapidly alleviates depression and suicidality.

Improving Outcomes Following Extremity Trauma : The Need for a Multidisciplinary Approach

Extremity injuries contribute a significant amount to the overall disability of combat-injured soldiers. Tracking patient outcomes allows military health care providers to gain a better understanding of the disability associated with various injury patterns. Only recently have orthopedic surgeons begun to collect functional outcome measures, and perhaps even more importantly, have begun to collect patient-reported outcomes. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to optimize outcomes in patients following severe extremity trauma.

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