This is a good study possibly for a right direction in treatment for some. But what's really important is that it was done not on combat soldiers but on civilian population, which is one of the important issues we 'Nam Veterans have been trying to instill in the populations. PTS isn't only from the stresses of war but war can compound the possibilities because of what takes place, is known to take place and is under a 24/7 for a long period depending on tours. Civilians have been suffering from since the beginning of time and do so mostly silently as they are most often misdiagnosed!
Study Could Help Explain Differences in Coping, Resiliency
Feb. 23, 2011 - Although most people exposed to the horrors of war, trauma or abuse recover emotionally, up to 20 percent develop post-traumatic stress disorder -- a debilitating psychiatric disorder marked by flashbacks and nightmares.
The biological basis for PTSD remains unclear. But a new study offers clues about why some people rebound from horrific events while others relive them, and may lead to predictive tests and even treatments.
To tease out factors that contribute to PTSD risk and resilience, researchers led by Dr. Kerry Ressler, associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta, studied a group of 64 highly traumatized civilians (not veterans) treated at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital, some of whom developed PTSD.
"In a lot of very impoverished, high-violence neighborhoods, we see high rates of trauma, and rates of PTSD can be as high as in veterans," Ressler said.
Based on previous evidence that the hormone-like molecule known as PACAP was important in the brain's response to stress, the researchers measured PACAP levels in the blood of their subjects. To their surprise, PACAP levels were higher in people with PTSD, and correlated with the severity of symptoms. But the boost was only significant in women. {continjued}
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