ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre

Abstract

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.

Abstract

Objective Parents bereaved by infant death experience a wide range of symptomatology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that may persist for years after the loss. Little research has been conducted on PTSD in fathers who have lost an infant. Mothers report most symptoms to a greater extent than fathers, but not much is known about other sex differences following infant death. Method...

During disasters, aid organizations often respond using the resources of local volunteer members from the affected population who are not only inexperienced, but who additionally take on some of the more psychologically and physically difficult tasks in order to provide support for their community. Although not much empirical evidence exists to justify the claim, it is thought that preparation,...

Alterations in the number and functional status of mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) may contribute to vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Corticosteroid receptors are chaperoned by heat shock proteins Hsp90 and Hsp70. We examined relations between corticosteroid receptor and heat shock protein expression levels, and related them with war trauma exposure...

This qualitative study examines veterans' meanings of peacekeeping in Cambodia. In-depth interviews were conducted among 19 veterans. Purposive sampling distinguished between veterans with and without stress responses. Thematic analysis showed that peacekeeping reflected a different reality in which military performance and comradeship provided clear sense and direction. A sense of fulfillment...

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly recurrent disease. Stress-responsive system dysfunction seems to persist after remission. In patients with more chronic and recurrent depressive episodes, state related HPA-axis dysregulation might be a risk factor for prospective recurrence. This study examines the predictive effect of cortisol on consecutive episodes in remitted recurrently depressed...

BackgroundHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis hyperactivity has been observed in (recurrent) major depressive disorder (MDD), although inconsistently and mainly cross-sectional. Longitudinal studies clarifying state-trait issues are lacking. We aimed to determine whether HPA-axis (hyper)activity in recurrent MDD is: (I) reflecting a persistent trait, (II) influenced by depressive state, (...