In recent years there has been increased interest in Bayesian analysis in many disciplines  Bayesianmethods implement Bayes’ theorem, which states that prior beliefs are updated with data, and this process produces updated beliefs about model parameters.

The prior is based on how much information we believe we have preceding data collection, as well as how accurate we believe that information to be. Within Bayesian statistics, priors can come fromany source; for example, a meta-analysis, a previous study or, even, expert consensus.

Abstract

Rationale: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD risk may depend on an interaction between genetic and environmental vulnerability factors. Epigenetic processes such as DNA-methylation are responsive to environmental factors (e.g. stress) and can alter gene-expression, and have been found to mediate between trauma exposure and PTSD development [1].

Background: Confrontation with a traumatic (e.g. disaster-related) loss is a risk factor for the

development of psychopathology, including symptoms of prolonged grief (PG), posttraumatic

stress (PTS), and depression. Although interventions have been developed for reducing

post-loss psychopathology, more research into the effectiveness of treatment is needed

to improve care for bereaved persons. Cognitive therapy (CT) and eye movement desensitization

and reprocessing (EMDR) have been shown to be effective in trauma-exposed

Part of the symptomatology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are alterations in arousal and reactivity which could be related to a maladaptive increase in the automated sensory change detection system of the brain. In the current EEG study we investigated whether the brain’s response to a simple auditory sensory change was altered in patients with PTSD relative to trauma-exposed matched controls who did not develop the disorder.