News New Insights Into The Causes Of PTSD

[kers]

New Insights into the Causes of PTSD
(from PsychCentral News)

New research presented yesterday suggests that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be the result not only of exposure to a traumatic event, but also from a pre-existing vulnerability to stress.
The study, by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, also found that exposure to a traumatic event may cause physical brain damage.

Researchers studied the brains through neurological examinations and MRIs of more than 100 Vietnam War combat veterans who had a twin who did not serve in combat. While both twins shared some impairments in neurological functioning, only the brother who served in combat had brain atrophy in an area linked to decision-making.

According to the researchers, “We discovered a number of abnormalities in PTSD combat veterans not shared with their twins and . . . we infer that the abnormality was caused by combat. One of these is increased heart rate response when the combat veteran is startled. Another example is loss of gray matter in the rostral anterior cingulated cortex, [a part of the brain] which plays a role in inhibiting the fear response.”

Researchers suggest that a stressful event acts as a triggering event that may play a critical role in determining whether someone is at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder.

“We have identified several abnormalities that combat veterans share with their combat-unexposed twins that must represent risk factors. They could not have been acquired as a result of combat since their twins also have them,” noted the investigators.

“Traumatic stress can alter both brain structure and brain function. Our findings tend to refute the suggestion that people with PTSD would have probably had [psychological symptoms] even if they hadn’t been exposed to a traumatic event.”

The paper was presented Tuesday at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s annual meeting.

 

[Flower]

I wonder, is there a way I could get a brain scan (or something?) to see if I have this atrophy of gray mater? Is is possible I can just feel this atrophy, because I feel seriously impaired in the decision-making area.

 

[liv now]

Hi Flower. I feel the same way. Sometimes I get the sense that i have some dead or damaged area in the brain when I try to make a decision or use info I have stored in my brain and apply to a different situation. I find it really frustrating and sad. My therapist just thinks I have a block to decision making due to child hood trauma and that by working through the trauma I can rewire my brain. I don't know though.

 

[TLight]

I too feel blocked in the same physical sense that you are both talking about when it comes to decision making. I have it going on in memory too, short term that is.

I have felt for a long time like my brain is injured, doesn't work right, like I can't get into parts of it. It is extremely frustrating and concerning.

I've often wanted an MRI just to see what's happening there. But I have so many other medical bills to contend with, I just haven't pursued it. Last I spoke with a doc about it, she sent me to have my ears checked.

I've had it with doctors too, another reason I haven't pursued it.

Sometimes I think I might have another tumor...........and lately I just sort of could care less.

 

[yell]

Just A Thought

I do not like that they call it brain damage...I don't mean to be picky, but I would like to think that I developed differently, but not damaged.

 

[tgrl]

Studies like these are very insulting.

We need to quit insulting people and calling them "vulnerable" or "weak" and trying to say that's what causes symptoms of PTSD.

Studies based in this way impede the education and understanding of the true nature of PTSD.

 

[tgrl]

Right, lets draft people to war, put them through unthinkable trauma and then say their brain is "abnormal" because they didn't come out of it OK.

 

[berryblade]

Studies like these are very insulting.

We need to quit insulting people and calling them "vulnerable" or "weak" and trying to say that's what causes symptoms of PTSD.

Studies based in this way impede the education and understanding of the true nature of PTSD.

I'm really glad I'm not the only one who thought this.

 

[lrs]

The whole thing could have been written better, but there is something significant.
I did a search for the part of the brain they are referring to, this is from Wiki:

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex, that resembles a "collar" form around the corpus callosum, the fibrous bundle that relays neural signals between the right and left cerebral hemispheres of the brain.
It includes both the ventral and dorsal areas of the cingulate cortex, and appears to play a role in a wide variety of autonomic functions, such as regulating blood pressure and heart rate, as well as rational cognitive functions, such as reward anticipation, decision-making, empathy and emotion[citation needed].

 

[Gloria]

Within the last week, there was a very informative program on public television that went into how cortisol is released during a trauma and how it "burns" the memory into your brain by creating a path in your neurons. I found this fascinating.

I am absolutely floored by the information about the ACC in your brain. Besides suffering from PTSD, I also suffer from neuro-cardiogenic syncope. For some reason my brain does not regulate my blood pressure or my body temperature. When most people stand up or get out of bed, their brain automatically increases blood flow to your head. When it's cold out, your brain reacts and sends more blood flow to your skin. My brain does not automatically do this. I pass out when I stand up or get out of bed and my body temperature can go very low or very high and my brain doesn't regulate it. I don't know if this is going to do me any good but at least it seems that this is the area of my brain that is not functioning properly. Medicine is making such huge advances. I can hope that there will be better treatments for PTSD soon.