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Leri J, Cisler JM, Dodd CG, Clark SL, Taylor L, Theodorou A, Belford A, Liberzon I, Rathouz PJ, Newport DJ, Devargas C, Wagner K, Nemeroff CB. The role of recurrent trauma on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and substance use among trauma exposed youth. Psychiatry Res 2024; 338:115980. [PMID: 38833935 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Comorbidity between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder may be explained by a prospective trauma risk conferred by both conditions. The current study modeled concurrent and prospective associations of trauma, PTSD symptoms, and substance use (SU) behavior among trauma exposed youth (ages 8-20). Clinical interviews assessed trauma exposure, PTSD symptom severity, and SU behavior at baseline and at six- and 12-month follow up study visits (N = 2,069). Structural equation models assessed the associations of trauma, PTSD symptoms, and SU behavior. Lifetime trauma was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms and SU behaviors, whereas trauma exposure during the study was only associated with PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptom severity was prospectively associated with trauma exposure. PTSD symptom severity and SU behavior at follow-up study visits were prospectively associated. These results highlight the dynamic interplay between trauma, PTSD symptoms, and SU behavior during youth, a developmental period during which complex psychiatric presentations can have longstanding consequences for health.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Leri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1601 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
| | - Josh M Cisler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1601 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Cody G Dodd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, United States
| | - Shaunna L Clark
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University, United States
| | - Leslie Taylor
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, United States
| | - Arrian Theodorou
- The University of North Texas Health Science Center, United States
| | - Anissa Belford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at San Antonio, United States
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University, United States
| | - Paul J Rathouz
- Department of Population Health, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, United States
| | - D Jeffrey Newport
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1601 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Women's Health, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, United States
| | - Cecilia Devargas
- Department of Psychiatry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, United States
| | - Karen Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, United States
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1601 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78712, United States
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Kitaj M, Goff DC. Why Do Veterans Not Respond as Well as Civilians to Trauma-Focused Therapies for PTSD? Harv Rev Psychiatry 2024; 32:160-163. [PMID: 38990904 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT This column first reviews evidence that veterans have poorer response to trauma-focused therapies for PTSD compared to civilians. We then consider several explanations for this trend, starting with gender as a possible confounding variable. We also examine other hypotheses, including the effects of the military acculturation process, the unique influences of military traumas, such as combat and military sexual traumas, and the roles of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and moral injury. Future research, we conclude, must determine whether gender explains the differences in trauma-focused therapy response. If so, then the underlying reasons must be further explored. If not, then we must determine the unique characteristics of the veteran population that make it more resistant to treatment. Mining these elements will help us adapt our trauma-focused therapies to better help this population and close the response-rate gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Kitaj
- From Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine (Drs. Kitaj and Goff)
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Scott J, Hauspurg A, Davis EM, Bryan S, Catov JM. Maternal Mental Health, COVID-19-Related Distress, and Disruptions in Lifestyle Behaviors Among Postpartum Mothers With a Previous Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy. J Cardiovasc Nurs 2024; 39:318-324. [PMID: 37723619 PMCID: PMC10948378 DOI: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000001038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many perinatal people experienced pandemic-related distress and changes in health behaviors at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but less is known about how the pandemic continued to impact their health. OBJECTIVE The authors of this study examined the influence of pandemic-related distress and maternal mental health on postpartum lifestyle behaviors of mothers with a previous hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. METHODS Between September 2021 and March 2022, 82 postpartum (19.2 ± 5.5 months) mothers with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy completed measures of pandemic-related distress and pandemic-related disruption in lifestyle behaviors from the Coronavirus Perinatal Experiences Impact Survey. A Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 10 and a score ≥ 3 on the Breslau scale indicated significant depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, respectively. RESULTS Twenty-two (27.2%) and 30 (36.6%) participants had significant depressive or PTSD symptoms, respectively. In models adjusted for education, income, parity, delivery prepandemic or peripandemic, intervention group, and prepregnancy mental health history, both PTSD symptoms ( B = 0.229, P = .029) and pandemic-related distress ( B = 0.492, P < .001) associated with greater disruption in health behaviors. Depressive symptoms did not associate with greater disruption in health behaviors ( B = 0.169, P = .135). CONCLUSION Monitoring PTSD symptoms may be vital in supporting mothers with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in making lifestyle changes to prevent cardiovascular disease.
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Adugna D, Yadeta TA, Dereje J, Firdisa D, Demissie Darcho S, Kassa O, Kitessa M, Gemeda AT. Post-traumatic stress disorder and associated factors among inpatients at Eastern Command Referral Hospital in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1373602. [PMID: 38919638 PMCID: PMC11197465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1373602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by heightened stress and anxiety after experiencing a traumatic event. While numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the magnitude and factors associated with PTSD, there is limited evidence available on specific study populations of military personnel. Objective The study aimed to determine the magnitude of post-traumatic stress disorder and associated factors among military personnel admitted to the Eastern Command Referral Hospital in Eastern Ethiopia from May 1 to 30, 2023. Methods and materials A cross-sectional study was carried out at an institution. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data using the post-traumatic stress disorder military version checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition. Data were entered and analyzed using EpiData version 3.1 and STATA version 14. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the information. To investigate factors linked with outcome variables, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. The results were presented using odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, with statistical significance given at a p-value of 0.05. Results This study found that approximately 23.6% (95% CI = 19.9-27.8) of admitted military members fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Participants' history of mental illness [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 5.73, 95% CI = 2.66-12.31], family history of mental illness (AOR = 10.38, 95% CI = 5.36-20.10), current chewing of khat (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.13-4.32), physical trauma (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.00-4.13), moderate social support (AOR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.1-4.53), strong social support (AOR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.02-0.35), and severe depression (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.74-5.71) were factors significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Conclusions The magnitude of post-traumatic stress disorder is high among military personnel. Factors such as participants' history of mental illness, family history of mental illness, depression, lack of social support, current use of khat, and physical trauma are significantly associated with PTSD. It is crucial to identify and intervene early in individuals with these risk factors to address PTSD effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desalegn Adugna
- School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfaye Assebe Yadeta
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Jerman Dereje
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Dawit Firdisa
- School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Samuel Demissie Darcho
- School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Obsan Kassa
- School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Monas Kitessa
- School of Pharmacy, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Asefa Tola Gemeda
- School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
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Leighton SC, Rodriguez KE, Jensen CL, MacLean EL, Davis LW, Ashbeck EL, Bedrick EJ, O'Haire ME. Service Dogs for Veterans and Military Members With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2414686. [PMID: 38833250 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.14686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Military members and veterans (hereafter, veterans) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increasingly seek psychiatric service dogs as a complementary intervention, yet the effectiveness of service dogs is understudied. Objective To estimate the associations between psychiatric service dog partnership and self-reported and clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, depression, anxiety, and psychosocial functioning after 3 months of intervention among veterans. Design, Setting, and Participants This nonrandomized controlled trial used standardized and validated assessment instruments completed by participants and administered by blinded clinicians. Recruitment, eligibility screening, and enrollment were conducted between August 2017 and December 2019. Veterans were recruited using the database of an accredited nonprofit service dog organization with constituents throughout the US. Participants were veterans with a PTSD diagnosis; they were allocated to either the intervention group (n = 81) or control group (n = 75). Outcome assessments were performed at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up. Data analyses were completed in October 2023. Interventions Participants allocated to the intervention group received a psychiatric service dog for PTSD, whereas those allocated to the control group remained on the waiting list based on the date of application submitted to the service dog organization. Both groups had unrestricted access to usual care. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were PTSD symptom severity, depression, and anxiety after 3 months, and the secondary outcomes were psychosocial functioning, such as quality of life and social health. The self-reported PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) was used to measure symptom severity, and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) was used to assess PTSD diagnosis (score range for both instruments: 0-80, with higher scores indicating greater PTSD symptoms). Results The 156 participants included in the trial had a mean (SD) age of 37.6 (8.3) years and included 117 males (75%), 17 Black or African American individuals (11%), 30 Hispanic individuals (19%), and 117 White individuals (76%). Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly lower PTSD symptom severity based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 mean (SD) score (41.9 [16.9] vs 51.7 [16.1]; difference in means, -11.5 [95% CI, -16.2 to -6.6]; P < .001) and the CAPS-5 mean (SD) score (30.2 [10.2] vs 36.9 [10.2]; difference in means, -7.0 [95% CI, -10.8 to -4.5]; P < .001) at 3 months. The intervention group also had significantly lower depression scores (odds ratio [OR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.23-0.86]; difference in means, -3.3 [95% CI, -6.8 to -0.6]), anxiety (OR, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.13-0.50]; difference in means, -4.4 [95% CI, -6.9 to -2.1]), and most areas of psychosocial functioning (eg, social isolation: OR, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.18-0.64]). Conclusions and Relevance This nonrandomized controlled trial found that compared with usual care alone, partnership with a trained psychiatric service dog was associated with lower PTSD symptom severity and higher psychosocial functioning in veterans. Psychiatric service dogs may be an effective complementary intervention for military service-related PTSD. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03245814.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Leighton
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley
| | | | - Clare L Jensen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley
| | - Evan L MacLean
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley
| | - Louanne W Davis
- Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
| | - Erin L Ashbeck
- Statistics Consulting Lab, The BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Edward J Bedrick
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson
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Reed DE, Fischer IC, Williams RM, Na PJ, Pietrzak RH. Co-occurring Chronic Pain and PTSD Among US Military Veterans: Prevalence, Correlates, and Functioning. J Gen Intern Med 2024:10.1007/s11606-024-08803-w. [PMID: 38780882 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08803-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of co-occurring chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has yet to be established in a nationally representative sample of US veterans, and little is known about the individual contributing roles of these disorders to the psychiatric and functional burden of this comorbidity. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of chronic pain, PTSD, and co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD, and psychiatric comorbidities and psychosocial functioning in these groups. DESIGN Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of US veterans. PARTICIPANTS Veterans (n=4069) were classified into four groups: control (i.e., no PTSD or chronic pain), chronic pain only, PTSD only, and co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD. MAIN MEASURES A probable PTSD diagnosis was established using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and a chronic pain diagnosis using a self-report item that queried health care professional diagnoses. Psychiatric and functional status were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Screen of Drug Use, Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Short Form Health Survey-8, Brief Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning, and Medical Outcomes Study Cognitive Functioning Scale. KEY RESULTS A total of 3.8% of veterans reported both probable PTSD and a diagnosis of chronic pain. Relative to veterans with chronic pain alone, those with co-occurring chronic pain and probable PTSD were more likely to screen positive for psychiatric disorders (odds ratios [ORs]=2.59-9.88) and scored lower on measures of psychosocial functioning (Cohen's ds=0.38-1.43). Relative to veterans with probable PTSD only, those with co-occurring chronic pain and probable PTSD were more likely to have attempted suicide (OR=4.79; 95%CI, 1.81-12.69). CONCLUSIONS Results underscore the importance of whole health care that considers a broad range of health and functional domains in the assessment and treatment of co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD in veterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Reed
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Ian C Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rhonda M Williams
- Rehabilitation Care Service, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter J Na
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Resnik J, Miller CJ, Roth CE, Burns K, Bovin MJ. A Systematic Review of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health-Care Access Interventions for Veterans With PTSD. Mil Med 2024; 189:1303-1311. [PMID: 37837200 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usad376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Access to mental health care has been a priority area for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for decades. Access for veterans with PTSD is essential because untreated PTSD is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. Although interventions have been developed to improve access to DVA mental health care, the impact of these interventions on access for veterans with untreated PTSD has not been examined comprehensively, limiting guidance on appropriate implementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a systematic review of PubMed and PTSDpubs between May 2019 and January 2022 to identify DVA access interventions for veterans with PTSD not engaged in DVA mental health care. We identified 17 interventions and 29 manuscripts reporting quantitative access outcomes. We categorized interventions into four major categories: Primary care mental health integration, other national initiatives, telemental health, and direct outreach. We evaluated five outcome domains: Binary attendance, number of sessions attended, wait time, number of patients seen, and care initiation. We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration criteria. RESULTS Across articles, binary attendance generally improved, whereas the impact on the number of sessions attended was equivocal. Overall, the number of patients seen increased compared to control participants and retrospective data. The few articles that examined care initiation had mixed results. Only one article examined the impact on wait time. CONCLUSIONS Access interventions for veterans with PTSD demonstrated varied success across interventions and outcomes. The national initiatives-particularly primary care mental health integration -were successful across several outcomes; telemental health demonstrated promise in improving access; and the success of direct outreach varied across interventions. Confidence in these findings is tempered by potential bias among studies. Limited literature on how these interventions impact relevant preattendance barriers, along with incomplete data on how many perform nationally, suggests that additional work is needed to ensure that these interventions increase access for veterans with PTSD nationwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Resnik
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Christopher J Miller
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Boston, MA 02130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Clara E Roth
- VA Boston Healthcare System, National Center for PTSD (116B-2), Boston, MA 02130, USA
- Boston VA Research Institute (BVARI), Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Katharine Burns
- VA Boston Healthcare System, National Center for PTSD (116B-2), Boston, MA 02130, USA
- Emmanuel College, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michelle J Bovin
- VA Boston Healthcare System, National Center for PTSD (116B-2), Boston, MA 02130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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Havlik JL, Rhee TG, Rosenheck RA. Association of mental health related quality of life and other factors with treatment seeking for substance use disorders: A comparison of SUDs rooted in legal, partially legal, and illegal substances. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302544. [PMID: 38683850 PMCID: PMC11057773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The association of subjective mental health-related quality of life (MHRQOL) and treatment use among people experiencing common substance use disorders (SUDs) is not known. Furthermore, the association of a given substance's legal status with treatment use has not been studied. This work aims determine the association of MHRQOL with SUD treatment use, and how substance legal status modulates this relationship. Our analysis used nationally-representative data from the NESARC-III database of those experiencing past-year SUDs (n = 5,808) to compare rates of treatment use and its correlates among three groups: those with illicit substance use disorders (ISUDs); those with partially legal substance use disorders, i.e., cannabis use disorder (CUD); and those with fully legal substance use disorders, i.e., alcohol use disorder (AUD). Survey-weighted multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association of MHRQOL with likelihood of treatment use among these three groups, both unadjusted and adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, and diagnostic factors. Adults with past-year ISUDs were significantly more likely to use treatment than those with CUD and AUD. Among those with ISUDs, MHRQOL had no significant association with likelihood of treatment use. Those with past-year CUD saw significant negative association of MHRQOL with treatment use in unadjusted analysis, but not after controlling for diagnostic and other behavioral health factors. Those with past-year AUD had significant negative association of MHRQOL with treatment use in both unadjusted and adjusted analysis. If legalization and decriminalization continue, there may be a greater need for effective public education and harm reduction services to address this changing SUD landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L. Havlik
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Taeho G. Rhee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Rosenheck
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Cruz B, Vozella V, Borgonetti V, Bullard R, Bianchi PC, Kirson D, Bertotto LB, Bajo M, Vlkolinsky R, Messing RO, Zorrilla EP, Roberto M. Chemogenetic inhibition of central amygdala CRF-expressing neurons decreases alcohol intake but not trauma-related behaviors in a rat model of post-traumatic stress and alcohol use disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02514-8. [PMID: 38509197 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02514-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are often comorbid. Few treatments exist to reduce comorbid PTSD/AUD. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying their comorbidity could reveal new avenues for therapy. Here, we employed a model of comorbid PTSD/AUD, in which rats were subjected to a stressful shock in a familiar context followed by alcohol drinking. We then examined fear overgeneralization and irritability in these rats. Familiar context stress elevated drinking, increased fear overgeneralization, increased alcohol-related aggressive signs, and elevated peripheral stress hormones. We then examined transcripts of stress- and fear-relevant genes in the central amygdala (CeA), a locus that regulates stress-mediated alcohol drinking. Compared with unstressed rats, stressed rats exhibited increases in CeA transcripts for Crh and Fkbp5 and decreases in transcripts for Bdnf and Il18. Levels of Nr3c1 mRNA, which encodes the glucocorticoid receptor, increased in stressed males but decreased in stressed females. Transcripts of Il18 binding protein (Il18bp), Glp-1r, and genes associated with calcitonin gene-related peptide signaling (Calca, Ramp1, Crlr-1, and Iapp) were unaltered. Crh, but not Crhr1, mRNA was increased by stress; thus, we tested whether inhibiting CeA neurons that express corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) suppress PTSD/AUD-like behaviors. We used Crh-Cre rats that had received a Cre-dependent vector encoding hM4D(Gi), an inhibitory Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs. Chemogenetic inhibition of CeA CRF neurons reduced alcohol intake but not fear overgeneralization or irritability-like behaviors. Our findings suggest that CeA CRF modulates PTSD/AUD comorbidity, and inhibiting CRF neural activity is primarily associated with reducing alcohol drinking but not trauma-related behaviors that are associated with PTSD/AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Cruz
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Ryan Bullard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Paula C Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Luisa B Bertotto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA.
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De Jesús-Romero R, Holder-Dixon AR, Buss JF, Lorenzo-Luaces L. Race, Ethnicity, and Other Cultural Background Factors in Trials of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e50780. [PMID: 38300699 PMCID: PMC10870215 DOI: 10.2196/50780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing interest in developing scalable interventions, including internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), to meet the increasing demand for mental health services. Given the growth in diversity worldwide, it is essential that the clinical trials of iCBT for depression include diverse samples or, at least, report information on the race, ethnicity, or other background indicators of their samples. Unfortunately, the field lacks data on how well diversity is currently reported and represented in the iCBT literature. OBJECTIVE Thus, the main objective of this systematic review was to examine the overall reporting of racial and ethnic identities in published clinical trials of iCBT for depression. We also aimed to review the representation of specific racial and ethnic minoritized groups and the inclusion of alternative background indicators such as migration status or country of residence. METHODS Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials in which iCBT was compared to a waiting list, care-as-usual, active control, or another iCBT. The included papers also had to have a focus on acute treatment (eg, 4 weeks to 6 months) of depression, be delivered via the internet on a website or a smartphone app and use guided or unguided self-help. Studies were initially identified from the METAPSY database (n=59) and then extended to include papers up to 2022, with papers retrieved from Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane (n=3). Risk of bias assessment suggested that reported studies had at least some risk of bias due to use of self-report outcome measures. RESULTS A total of 62 iCBT randomized controlled trials representing 17,210 participants are summarized in this study. Out of those 62 papers, only 17 (27%) of the trials reported race, and only 12 (19%) reported ethnicity. Reporting outside of the United States was very poor, with the United States accounting for 15 (88%) out of 17 of studies that reported race and 9 (75%) out of 12 for ethnicity. Out of 3,623 participants whose race was reported in the systematic review, the racial category reported the most was White (n=2716, 74.9%), followed by Asian (n=209, 5.8%) and Black (n=274, 7.6%). Furthermore, only 25 (54%) out of the 46 papers conducted outside of the United States reported other background demographics. CONCLUSIONS It is important to note that the underreporting observed in this study does not necessarily indicate an underrepresentation in the actual study population. However, these findings highlight the poor reporting of race and ethnicity in iCBT trials for depression found in the literature. This lack of diversity reporting may have significant implications for the scalability of these interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robinson De Jesús-Romero
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University - Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Amani R Holder-Dixon
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University - Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - John F Buss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University - Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University - Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
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11
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Klein AB, Schnurr PP, Bovin MJ, Friedman MJ, Keane TM, Marx BP. An empirical investigation of definitions of subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress 2024; 37:113-125. [PMID: 37937636 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has long been recognized as an important construct that identifies a subgroup of individuals who report significant PTSD symptoms and associated disability but do not endorse enough symptoms to meet the criteria for a full PTSD diagnosis. Different investigators have defined subthreshold PTSD in various ways, making it difficult to interpret findings across studies. To address this problem, we systematically compared individuals who met criteria for nine different subthreshold PTSD definitions with individuals diagnosed with either full PTSD or no PTSD (i.e., failed to meet the criteria for a subthreshold definition) with respect to prevalence and associated clinical outcomes of interest. Participants were 1,082 veterans enrolled in the Veterans After Discharge Longitudinal Registry. PTSD and subthreshold PTSD diagnostic status were determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) and validated self-report instruments were used to assess clinical outcomes. Across outcomes, subthreshold definitions generally identified a group of participants that was distinguishable from participants in both the PTSD and no PTSD groups, rs = .02-.47. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of various subthreshold definitions and highlight the need for additional work evaluating these definitions across additional outcomes and samples. In the interim, we propose a working case definition of subthreshold PTSD as meeting any three of the four DSM-5 symptom criteria (i.e., Criteria B, C, D, and E) along with Criterion A and Criteria F-H. The results suggest subthreshold PTSD is a clinically meaningful construct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra B Klein
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Paula P Schnurr
- Executive Division, National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Michelle J Bovin
- Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew J Friedman
- Executive Division, National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Terence M Keane
- Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian P Marx
- Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Lee SH, Han C, Kim J, Jeong HG, Lee MS, Choi JH, Choi H. Embitterment in Vietnam War Veterans Predicted by Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychiatry Investig 2024; 21:191-199. [PMID: 38433418 PMCID: PMC10910164 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2023.0299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research on the association between posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) and other psychopathologies in veterans and adults aged ≥65 years is lacking. This study aimed to assess embitterment among elderly war veterans and its association with major psychopathological factors. METHODS Participants included Vietnam War veterans who visited a psychiatric clinic. Based on the Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTEDS) score, the participants were divided into the embitterment (PTED(+), mean score of PTEDS items [mPTEDS] ≥1.6) and non-embitterment (PTED(-), mPTEDS <1.6) groups. Demographic characteristics, combat exposure severity, depression, anxiety, sleep, and alcohol use disorder symptom scores of the participants were collected and compared between the PTED(+) and PTED(-) groups. A correlation analysis between symptom measure scores and the mPTEDS was conducted. The influence of psychopathology on embitterment was investigated using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS In total, 60 participants (28 in PTED(+) and 32 in PTED(-)) were included. Among those in PTED(+), 21 (35.0%) showed mild embitterment symptoms (1.6≤ mPTEDS <2.5) and 7 (11.7%) reported moderate or severe embitterment symptoms (mPTEDS ≥2.5). The mean scores of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety were significantly higher in the PTED(+) than in the PTED(-) group. The mPTEDS were significantly correlated with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder scores. The PTSD symptoms significantly explained the higher mPTEDS score in a regression model. CONCLUSION Embitterment symptoms were associated with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms in elderly veterans, similar to the results of prior studies involving only the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Hoon Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Veteran Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Changsu Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ghang Jeong
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon-Soo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Veteran Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hayun Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Veteran Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Johnstad PG. Unhealthy behaviors associated with mental health disorders: a systematic comparative review of diet quality, sedentary behavior, and cannabis and tobacco use. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1268339. [PMID: 38249418 PMCID: PMC10797041 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1268339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There are well-established literatures documenting the associations between mental disorders and unhealthy behaviors such as poor diet quality, sedentary behavior, and cannabis and tobacco use. Few studies have attempted to understand the respective findings in light of each other, however. Objective The purpose of this review was to assemble comparable data for each behavior-disorder association and assess the associations in terms of their overall strength. The review aimed to include a representative, but not exhaustive, range of studies that would allow for explorative comparisons. Methods Eligible studies were identified via Pubmed searches and citation searching, restricted to publications no older than 2015 written in English. To obtain comparable data, only studies that reported findings as odds ratios were included, and risk of bias related to study samples, behavioral measurement disparities, and control variables was assessed via sensitivity analyses. Findings for each disorder were compared on the basis of different measures of central tendency. Results From 3,682 records, 294 studies were included. The review found evidence of associations between each of the four unhealthy behaviors and psychosis, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while personality disorder was only investigated in relation to cannabis and tobacco use. In overall comparison, the associations were generally of similar strength, and only the association between cannabis use and personality disorder was exceptional in terms of being significantly stronger than its counterparts across disorders and across behaviors. Analyses of bias risk identified some influence from behavioral measurement disparities and lack of adequate statistical control, but findings were generally robust across a range of sensitivity analyses. Conclusion This explorative and comparative review found that poor diet quality, sedentary behavior, and cannabis and tobacco use are about equally strongly associated with a range of different mental disorders. Given the general nature of these associations, we should probably understand them to reflect a general and shared etiology. However, the findings in this review should be regarded as tentative until confirmed by more comprehensive investigations.
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14
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Whiteford S, Quigley M, Dighton G, Wood K, Kitchiner N, Armour C, Dymond S. Anxiety, distress tolerance, and the relationship between complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and alcohol use in veterans. J Clin Psychol 2024; 80:158-169. [PMID: 37860949 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Little is known about whether distress tolerance and anxiety mediate the relationship between comorbid complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and alcohol use among military veterans. Here, we investigated the contribution of distress tolerance and anxiety on the strength of the CPTSD and alcohol use association. We hypothesized that the impact of a two-factor model of CPTSD derived from subscale scores on the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ)-namely ITQ PTSD and ITQ Disturbances in Self Organization (DSO; e.g., issues with affective regulation/self-belief and shame)-on alcohol use severity would be mediated by anxiety but not by distress tolerance. METHODS Participants included 403 community-dwelling United Kingdom (UK) veterans (91.64% male, Mage = 51.15 years, SD = 12.48) recruited as part of a larger, online study. RESULTS Findings indicated that the influence of CPTSD symptoms on alcohol use severity was mediated by anxiety, not by distress tolerance, with greater relative impact due to ITQ DSO status than ITQ PTSD status. CONCLUSIONS We identified the mediational influence of anxiety and distress tolerance on the association between CPTSD subscales and alcohol use in UK veterans. Interventions for anxiety may be adapted for reducing problematic alcohol use and the impact of CPTSD symptoms in veterans with comorbid PTSD and alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seb Whiteford
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | - Glen Dighton
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Katie Wood
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Neil Kitchiner
- Veterans NHS Wales, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Cherie Armour
- Research Centre for Stress Trauma and Related Conditions (STARC), School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Simon Dymond
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Department of Psychology, Reykjavík University, Reykjavík, Iceland
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15
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Balderrama-Durbin C, Barden EP, Gates MV, Hill J, Mastroleo NR, Possemato K, King PR, Rauch SAM. Examining the Temporal Relation between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Heavy Drinking among Veterans Receiving Mental Health Treatment in Primary Care. J Dual Diagn 2024; 20:29-38. [PMID: 38145623 DOI: 10.1080/15504263.2023.2294985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evidence for the use of integrated treatments targeting co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders is steadily growing. However, limited work has evaluated the temporal association between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and alcohol misuse over the course of integrated treatment, with no studies examining such interventions in primary care (PC). The current study examined temporal changes in PTSS and heavy drinking among individuals who received a brief treatment for co-occurring PTSD and alcohol misuse in PC (Primary Care Treatment Integrating Motivation and Exposure; PC-TIME) compared with those who received PC treatment as usual (PC-TAU). METHOD A total of 63 veterans (33 randomized to PC-TIME and 30 randomized to PC-TAU) presenting to PC with co-occurring PTSD and alcohol misuse were included in this study. PTSS and heavy drinking were examined at each treatment session for those in PC-TIME. Veterans in both conditions provided reports of PTSS and heavy drinking at baseline, 8-weeks (post-treatment), 14-weeks, and 20-week follow-ups. RESULTS Session-by-session findings for PC-TIME demonstrated that PTSS at Session 1 predicted a greater decrease in heavy drinking from Session 1 to Session 2. Moreover, heavy drinking at baseline predicted greater decreases in PTSS at 8-weeks for those in PC-TIME, whereas the reverse association was found for those randomized to PC-TAU. Additionally, heavy drinking at 8-weeks predicted decreased PTSS at 14-weeks for those randomized to PC-TAU. CONCLUSIONS The current study evidenced mixed support for the temporal precedence of PTSS and alcohol misuse. Relations between PTSS and heavy drinking appeared to be linked to treatment targets within PC-TIME and varied between treatment condition (PC-TIME versus PC-TAU). Notably, those with greater than average heavy drinking at the initiation of integrated treatment appeared to have greater reductions in PTSS at post-treatment. Results suggest a mutual maintenance model may best characterize the association between co-occurring PTSS and heavy drinking among treatment-seeking individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eileen P Barden
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Melissa V Gates
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Jessica Hill
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Nadine R Mastroleo
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Kyle Possemato
- VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse and Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Paul R King
- VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse and Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Counseling, School, Educational Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Sheila A M Rauch
- Mental Health Service Line, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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16
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Fischer IC, Schnurr PP, Pietrzak RH. Employment status among US military veterans with a history of posttraumatic stress disorder: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. J Trauma Stress 2023; 36:1167-1175. [PMID: 37821772 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of employment status in a nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans with a probable lifetime history of posttraumatic stress disorder. Participants were 4,609 veterans from National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS) Bivariate analyses compared the employment status of veterans with regard to sociodemographic, military, health, and psychiatric characteristics. A multinomial regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of lifetime PTSD status on employment and identify variables that differentiated employment status among veterans with a history of PTSD. In the total sample, 450 (weighted 12.5%) screened positive for lifetime PTSD. Veterans with PTSD were more than twice as likely to be unemployed, OR = 2.41, and retired, OR = 2.26, and nearly 4 times as likely to be disabled, OR = 3.84, relative to those without PTSD. Among veterans with PTSD, 203 (54.0%) were employed, 178 were retired (28.2%), 31 (7.3%) were unemployed, and 38 (10.5%) were disabled. Relative to employed veterans, retired veterans were older and reported more medical conditions; unemployed veterans were almost 5 times as likely to be female; disabled veterans reported lower income, more medical conditions, and more severe symptoms of current major depressive disorder but less severe symptoms of alcohol use disorder, ORs = 0.88-4.88. This study provides an up-to-date characterization of employment status in a nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans with a history of PTSD. Results may inform efforts to provide sustainable employment in this segment of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C Fischer
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Paula P Schnurr
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Havlik JL, Rhee TG, Rosenheck RA. Characterization of quality of life among individuals with current treated, untreated, and past alcohol use disorder. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:787-798. [PMID: 37788415 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2245125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Background: Understanding health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among those who seek treatment for their alcohol use disorder (AUD) and those not seeking AUD treatment is critical to decreasing morbidity and mortality, yet HRQOL in these groups has been little characterized.Objectives: Characterize HRQOL among those who meet diagnostic criteria for AUD, both receiving and not receiving treatment.Methods: This analysis used the NESARC-III database (n = 36,309; female = 56.3%), a nationally representative survey of US adults, to compare four groups: those treated for current AUD; those untreated for current AUD; those with past AUD only; and those who never met criteria for AUD. Multiple regression analysis was used to account for differences in sociodemographic and other behavioral factors across these groups. HRQOL was operationalized using annual quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).Results: Patients treated for past-year AUD had a deficit of 0.07 QALYs/year compared to those who never met criteria for AUD (P < .001). They retained a still clinically meaningful 0.03 QALYs/year deficit after controlling for concomitant psychiatric disorders and other behavioral health factors (P < .001). Those with past-year untreated AUD or past AUD had a near-zero difference in QALYs compared with those who never met criteria for AUD.Conclusion: These findings suggest that previously-reported differences in HRQOL associated with AUD may be due to the problems of the relatively small sub-group who seek treatment. Clinicians seeking to treat those with currently untreated AUD may do better to focus on the latent potential health effects of AUD instead of current HRQOL concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Havlik
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Taeho Greg Rhee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert A Rosenheck
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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Jegede O, Manhapra A, Zhou B, Rhee TG, Rosenheck RA. Monotonic Association of Increasing Past-Year Substance Use Disorder across a Four-Level Trauma Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Hierarchy in a Nationwide Sample. J Dual Diagn 2023; 19:231-239. [PMID: 37796996 DOI: 10.1080/15504263.2023.2260339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is limited information on the differences in the association of substance use disorders (SUD) with four clinically relevant hierarchical groups based on trauma exposure and its consequences (1-no trauma; 2-trauma but no PTSD; 3-remitted PTSD; and 4-current PTSD). METHODS Among adults enrolled in a large nationally representative survey, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Wave III (NESARC III), we compared differences in SUD prevalence between each of the hierarchical trauma group and the prior group adjusting for potentially confounding factors. RESULTS Unadjusted results show that each increase in the hierarchy was associated with a greater likelihood of SUD diagnoses, even after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. However, after adjusting for covariates, comparison of adults with past to those with current PTSD showed persistence of SUD indicators. CONCLUSION SUD prevalence increased substantially with trauma exposure even without PTSD and monotonically increased further with past and current PTSD, respectively, illustrating the differential effect of the clinical consequences of trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwole Jegede
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ajay Manhapra
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- New England Mental Illness Research Education Clinical Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Hampton VA Medical center, Hampton, Virginia, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Psychiatry, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Bin Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Taeho Greg Rhee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- New England Mental Illness Research Education Clinical Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Robert A Rosenheck
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- New England Mental Illness Research Education Clinical Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Dell'Aquila A, Berle D. Predictors of alcohol and substance use among people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): findings from the NESARC-III study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2023; 58:1509-1522. [PMID: 37133523 PMCID: PMC10460312 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02472-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The self-medication hypothesis suggests people may develop Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) or Non-Alcohol Substance Use Disorder (NA-SUD) following PTSD as a maladaptive way of coping with PTSD symptoms. Given that an accumulation of trauma experiences and interpersonal trauma increase the likelihood and severity of PTSD, we sought to determine whether the number and type of traumas additionally predict AUD and NA-SUD following PTSD. METHODS We analysed data from 36,309 adult participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) study (M = 45.63 years, SD = 17.53, 56.3% female) who were administered semi-structured diagnostic interviews of trauma exposure and PTSD, AUD and NA-SUD symptoms. RESULTS Individuals with PTSD were more likely to have an AUD or NA-SUD than those without PTSD. Endorsement of a greater number of traumas was associated with greater odds of having PTSD, AUD, or NA-SUD. Experience of interpersonal trauma was related to greater odds of having PTSD and subsequent AUD or NA-SUD than not experiencing interpersonal trauma. Multiple experiences of interpersonal trauma compared to one interpersonal trauma exposure also increased the odds of having PTSD followed by AUD or NA-SUD. CONCLUSIONS Interpersonal trauma and multiple experiences of interpersonal trauma may result in individuals turning to alcohol and substances as a way to alleviate intolerable PTSD symptomology, aligning with the self-medication hypothesis. Our findings highlight the importance of ensuring services and support for interpersonal trauma survivors and for those who have experienced multiple traumas given their increased for unfavourable outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Dell'Aquila
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - David Berle
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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Simonovic M, Nedovic B, Radisavljevic M, Stojanovic N. The Co-Occurrence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression in Individuals with and without Traumatic Brain Injury: A Comprehensive Investigation. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1467. [PMID: 37629756 PMCID: PMC10456657 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59081467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that often occurs following war trauma. Despite its high prevalence, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying its progression and treatment resistance. Recent research has shed light on the biological basis of PTSD, with neuroimaging studies revealing altered brain connectivity patterns in affected individuals. In war contexts, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common occurrence and is associated with a high prevalence of PTSD. This study aimed to compare the severity of PTSD and depression in patients with and without a history of TBI to shed light on the impact of comorbid TBI on the presentation of PTSD symptoms. To achieve this goal, a cross-sectional study was conducted involving a sample of 60 outpatients who were diagnosed with both PTSD and Depressive Disorder. The inclusion criteria required participants to meet the diagnostic criteria for both disorders using validated tools. The severities of PTSD and depressive symptoms were assessed using scales that have been widely used and validated in previous research. By utilizing these standardized assessment tools, this study aimed to ensure the reliability and validity of the obtained data. The results of this study revealed that patients with comorbid PTSD and TBI exhibited a significantly higher severity of PTSD symptoms compared to those with PTSD only. Specifically, the comorbid group demonstrated higher ratings of symptom intensity across all symptom clusters. These findings are consistent with previous research that has highlighted the impact of comorbid TBI on the intensity and persistence of PTSD symptoms. When controlling for PTSD severity, no significant differences were observed in the severity of depressive symptoms between the two groups. This suggests that the increased depressive symptoms observed in the comorbid group may be primarily driven by the presence of more intense PTSD symptoms rather than TBI per se. The findings highlight the need for an accurate diagnosis of TBI in individuals with PTSD to guide appropriate treatment interventions. Further research is warranted to delve into the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the interaction between TBI and PTSD and to develop targeted interventions for individuals with comorbid PTSD and TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Simonovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis 18000, Serbia; (B.N.)
- Center for Mental Health, University Clinical Center, Nis 18000, Serbia
| | - Bojan Nedovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis 18000, Serbia; (B.N.)
| | - Misa Radisavljevic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis 18000, Serbia; (B.N.)
- Clinic for Neurosurgery, University Clinical Center, Nis 18000, Serbia
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21
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Richerson JT, Wagner TH, Abrams T, Skelton K, Biswas K, Illarmo S, McSherry F, Fallon MT, Frakt A, Pizer S, Magruder KM, Groer S, Dorn PA, Huang GD, Stock EM. Therapeutic and Economic Benefits of Service Dogs Versus Emotional Support Dogs for Veterans With PTSD. Psychiatr Serv 2023; 74:790-800. [PMID: 36718602 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20220138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This work aimed to assess the therapeutic and economic benefits of service dogs versus emotional support dogs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS Veterans with PTSD (N=227) participating in a multicenter trial were randomly assigned to receive a service or emotional support dog; 181 veterans received a dog and were followed up for 18 months. Primary outcomes included overall functioning (assessed with World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale II [WHODAS 2.0]) and quality of life (Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey [VR-12]). Secondary outcomes included PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5), suicidal ideation, depression, sleep quality, health care costs and utilization, medication adherence, employment, and productivity. RESULTS Participants paired with a dog had a mean±SD age of 50.6±13.6 years (range 22-79), and most were male (80%), White (66%), and non-Hispanic (91%). Adjusted linear mixed repeated-measures models indicated no difference between the two groups on WHODAS 2.0 or VR-12 scores. Participants with service dogs had a 3.7-point greater reduction in PTSD symptoms versus participants with emotional support dogs (p=0.036). No reduced health care utilization or cost was associated with receiving a service dog. Veterans with service dogs had an increase of 10 percentage points in antidepressant adherence compared with those with emotional support dogs (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both groups appeared to benefit from having a service or emotional support dog. No significant differences in improved functioning or quality of life were observed between the groups. Those in the service dog group had a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms and better antidepressant adherence, improvements that should be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan T Richerson
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Todd H Wagner
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Thad Abrams
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Kelly Skelton
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Kousick Biswas
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Samantha Illarmo
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Frances McSherry
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Michael T Fallon
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Austin Frakt
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Steven Pizer
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Kathryn M Magruder
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Shirley Groer
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Patricia A Dorn
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Grant D Huang
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
| | - Eileen M Stock
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tennessee Valley Health Care System, Nashville (Richerson); VA Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (Wagner, Illarmo); Center for Access Delivery Research and Evaluation, VA Iowa City Healthcare System, and Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Abrams); Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta (Skelton, Fallon); Perry Point/Baltimore Coordinating Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, VA, Perry Point, Maryland (Biswas, McSherry, Stock); Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, and Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (Frakt, Pizer); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Military Sciences Division, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Magruder); VA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. (Groer, Dorn, Huang)
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22
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Hunter LD, Boer T, Saltzman LY. The Intersectionality of Sex and Race in the Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scoping Review. Public Health Rev 2023; 44:1605302. [PMID: 37441026 PMCID: PMC10333493 DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2023.1605302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD), suggesting a risk for negative health outcomes among individuals with PTSD. This review synthesizes the temporal relationship between PTSD and CVD and highlights the intersection of sex and race. Methods: Covidence was used to systematically review the literature published between 1980 and 2020. Results: 176 studies were extracted. 68 (38.64%) of the studies were a predominantly male sample. 31 studies (17.61%) were a predominantly female sample. Most reported participants of both sexes (n = 72; 40.91%) and only 5 (2.84%) did not report respondent sex. No studies reported transgender participants. 110 (62.5%) studies reported racial and ethnic diversity in their study population, 18 (10.22%) described a completely or predominantly white sample, and 48 (27.27%) did not report race or ethnicity of their study population. Conclusion: A compelling number of studies did not identify sex differences in the link between PTSD and CVD or failed to report race and ethnicity. Investigating sex, race, ethnicity, and the temporal relationship between PTSD and CVD are promising avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren D. Hunter
- Tulane Center for Aging and Department of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Tara Boer
- Tulane School of Social Work, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Leia Y. Saltzman
- Tulane School of Social Work, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
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23
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Nieforth LO, Craig EA, Behmer VA, Wadsworth SM, O’Haire ME. PTSD service dogs foster resilience among veterans and military families. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 42:13207-13219. [PMID: 37583981 PMCID: PMC10424767 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01990-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Military deployment and reintegration challenges permeate the lives and relationships of Veterans, their spouses, and their families. Among these challenges, 23% of post-9/11 Veterans have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychiatric service dogs have been found to help clinically alleviate PTSD symptoms when used as a complementary intervention. However, minimal research exists that explores the role of the service dog as a mechanism for cultivating resilience within the military family system. Researchers utilized a qualitative, constant comparative approach to analyze self-reported experiences of 101 individuals, including Veterans (n = 67) and their spouses (n = 34). Analyzed through the framework of the Theory of Resilience and Relational Load (Afifi et al., 2016), findings suggest complex communication processes that facilitate relational and family adaptation. These processes encompassed (a) the role of the service dog in building emotional reserves, (b) relational load introduced when caring for the service dog, and (c) the service dog's facilitation of relational maintenance behaviors among family members that contributed to communal orientation. Based on the results of this qualitative analysis, researchers suggest educational interventions where service dog trainers and mental health practitioners can incorporate relational maintenance strategies and family-focused approaches to integrating service dogs as military family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne O. Nieforth
- Center for the Human Animal Bond, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 725 Harrison St CPB/VPTH, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Craig
- Department of Communication, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Virginia A. Behmer
- Center for the Human Animal Bond, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 725 Harrison St CPB/VPTH, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | | | - Marguerite E. O’Haire
- Center for the Human Animal Bond, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 725 Harrison St CPB/VPTH, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
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24
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Roer GE, Lien L, Bolstad I, Aaseth JO, Abebe DS. The impact of PTSD on risk of cardiometabolic diseases: a national patient cohort study in Norway. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:349. [PMID: 37210523 PMCID: PMC10200052 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04866-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with cardiometabolic diseases, concurrent anxiety, alcohol use disorder and depression. The relationship between PTSD and cardiometabolic diseases are still unclear, and less is known about the effects of socioeconomic status, comorbid anxiety, comorbid alcohol use disorder and comorbid depression. The study, therefore, aims to examine the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus over time in PTSD patients, and to what extent socioeconomic status, comorbid anxiety, comorbid alcohol use disorder and comorbid depression attenuate associations between PTSD and risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. METHOD A retrospective, register-based cohort study with 6-years follow-up of adult (> 18 years) PTSD patients (N = 7 852) compared with the general population (N = 4 041 366), was performed. Data were acquired from the Norwegian Patient Registry and Statistic Norway. Cox proportional regression models were applied to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) (99% confidence intervals) of cardiometabolic diseases among PTSD patients. RESULTS Significantly (p < 0.001) higher age and gender adjusted HRs were disclosed for all cardiometabolic diseases among PTSD patients compared to the population without PTSD, with a variation in HR from 3.5 (99% CI 3.1-3.9) for hypertensive diseases to HR = 6.5 (5.7-7.5) for obesity. When adjusted for socioeconomic status and comorbid mental disorders, reductions were observed, especially for comorbid depression, for which the adjustment resulted in HR reduction of about 48.6% for hypertensive diseases and 67.7% for obesity. CONCLUSIONS PTSD was associated with increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases, though attenuated by socioeconomic status and comorbid mental disorders. Health care professionals should be attentive towards the burden and increased risk that low socioeconomic status and comorbid mental disorders may represent for PTSD patients' cardiometabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grethe Emilie Roer
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 104, NO-2381, Brumunddal, Norway.
- Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University, St. Olavs Plass, P.O. Box 4, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Lars Lien
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 104, NO-2381, Brumunddal, Norway
- Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 400, NO-2418, Elverum, Norway
| | - Ingeborg Bolstad
- Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 400, NO-2418, Elverum, Norway
| | - Jan O Aaseth
- Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 400, NO-2418, Elverum, Norway
- Research Department, Innlandet Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 104, NO-2381, Brumunddal, Norway
| | - Dawit Shawel Abebe
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 104, NO-2381, Brumunddal, Norway
- Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University, St. Olavs Plass, P.O. Box 4, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway
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25
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Merians AN, Gross G, Spoont MR, Bellamy CD, Harpaz-Rotem I, Pietrzak RH. Racial and ethnic mental health disparities in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:71-76. [PMID: 36905842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite military veterans having a higher prevalence of several common psychiatric disorders relative to non-veterans, scarce population-based research has examined racial/ethnic differences in these disorders. The aim of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of psychiatric outcomes in a population-based sample of White, Black, and Hispanic military veterans, and to examine the role of intersectionality between sociodemographic variables and race/ethnicity in predicting these outcomes. Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a contemporary, nationally representative survey of 4069 US veterans conducted in 2019-2020. Outcomes include self-report screening measures of lifetime and current psychiatric disorders, and suicidality. Results revealed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely than White veterans to screen positive for lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 17.8% and 16.7% vs. 11.1%, respectively); Hispanic veterans were more likely than White veterans to screen positive for lifetime major depressive disorder (22.0% vs. 16.0%); Black veterans were more likely than White veterans to screen positive for current PTSD (10.1% vs. 5.9%) and drug use disorder (12.9% vs. 8.7%); and Hispanic veterans were more likely than Black veterans to report current suicidal ideation (16.2% vs. 8.1%). Racial/ethnic minority status interacted with lower household income, younger age, and female sex in predicting greater likelihood of some of these outcomes. Results of this population-based study suggest a disproportionate burden of certain psychiatric disorders among racial/ethnicity minority veterans, and identify high-risk subgroups that can be targeted in prevention and treatment efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Addie N Merians
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
| | - Georgina Gross
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; Northeast Program Evaluation Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Michele R Spoont
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA; Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA
| | - Chyrell D Bellamy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Ilan Harpaz-Rotem
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
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26
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Saraiya TC, Jarnecke AM, Bauer AG, Brown DG, Killeen T, Back SE. Patient- and therapist-rated alliance predict improvements in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and substance use in integrated treatment. Clin Psychol Psychother 2023; 30:410-421. [PMID: 36509681 PMCID: PMC10079590 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Concurrent Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (i.e., COPE) is an efficacious, integrated, psychotherapy that attends to PTSD and substance use disorders simultaneously. No study has examined how therapeutic alliance functions during the provision of COPE and how this compares to non-integrated treatments, such as relapse prevention (RP) for substance use disorders. Understanding the role of alliance in COPE versus RP could inform treatment refinement and ways to enhance treatment outcomes. METHODS Participants (N = 55 veterans) were randomized to 12, individual, weekly sessions of COPE or RP in a randomized clinical trial. Piecewise linear mixed effect models examined how mid-treatment (1) patient-rated alliance, (2) therapist-rated alliance, and (3) the convergence between patient- and therapist-rated alliance as measured by a difference score predicted reductions in PTSD symptoms and substance use across treatment and follow-up periods. RESULTS Both patient- and therapist-rated alliance predicted reductions in PTSD symptoms in COPE. Higher patient-rated alliance predicted lower percent days using substances in RP. Difference score models showed higher patient-rated alliance relative to therapist-rated alliance scores predicted symptom reductions in COPE whereas higher therapist-rated alliance scores relative to patient-rated alliance scores predicted symptom reductions in RP. DISCUSSION Preliminary findings show a unique relationship between the rater of the alliance and treatment modalities. Patient-rated alliance may be important in trauma-focused, integrated treatments whereas therapist-rated alliance may be more important in skills-focused, substance use interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya C. Saraiya
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Amber M. Jarnecke
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandria G. Bauer
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Delisa G. Brown
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Therese Killeen
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Sudie E. Back
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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27
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Goldstein SC, Schick MR, Weyandt LL, Sullivan TP, Cadely HSE, Weiss NH. Posttraumatic stress as a moderator of the association between HPA-axis functioning and alcohol use disorder among a community sample of women currently experiencing intimate partner violence. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2023; 31:163-173. [PMID: 35113644 PMCID: PMC10829849 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) experience a heightened prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis functioning has been associated with increased risk for AUD in other populations, including individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The goal of the present study was to determine whether PTSD symptom severity exacerbates the relationship between HPA-axis functioning and AUD. Participants were 151 community women who had experienced physical or sexual IPV in the past 30 days by their current male partners and used any amount of alcohol or drugs. A two-phase emotion induction protocol was utilized: Neutral mood induction followed by randomly assigned negative, positive, or neutral emotion induction. Saliva cortisol samples were obtained immediately following the neutral mood induction (baseline HPA-axis functioning), 20 min following the individualized emotion induction script (HPA-axis reactivity), and 40 min post the emotionally evocative cue (HPA-axis recovery). Findings revealed that PTSD symptom severity moderated the relations between baseline HPA-axis functioning and HPA-axis recovery and log odds of meeting criteria for AUD. Specifically, baseline HPA-axis functioning was positively associated with log odds of meeting criteria for AUD at high (but not low) PTSD symptom severity, whereas HPA-axis recovery was negatively associated with log odds of meeting criteria for AUD at high (but not low) PTSD symptom severity. Results contribute to our understanding of the biological processes involved in the etiology and maintenance of AUD among women experiencing IPV-specifically the prominent role of PTSD symptom severity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa R. Schick
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Mental Health Service, Medical University of South Carolina
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28
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Lange RT, French LM, Lippa S, Baschenis SM, Gillow KC, Glazer ME, Rogers AA, Cristaudo KE, Bailie JM, Hungerford L, Kennedy J, Brickell TA. Risk factors for the presence and persistence of posttraumatic stress symptoms following traumatic brain injury in U.S. service members and veterans. J Trauma Stress 2023; 36:144-156. [PMID: 36315642 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify risk factors predictive of the presence and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reporting following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants were 1,301 U.S. service members and veterans (SMVs) divided into four groups: uncomplicated mild TBI (mTBI; n = 543); complicated mild, moderate, severe, and penetrating TBI (n = 230); injured controls (n = 340); and noninjured controls (n = 188). We examined 25 factors related to demographic, injury-related, military-specific, treatment/health care need, and mental health/social support variables. Seven factors were statistically associated with the presence of DSM-IV-TR symptom criteria for PTSD: premorbid IQ, combat exposure, depression, social participation, history of mTBI, need for managing mood and stress, and need for improving memory and attention, p < .001 (51.3% variance). When comparing the prevalence of these risk factors in a longitudinal cohort (n = 742) across four PTSD trajectory groups (i.e., asymptomatic, improved, developed, persistent), a higher proportion of participants in the persistent PTSD group reported worse depression, a lack of social participation, and history of mTBI. Additionally, a higher proportion of participants in the persistent and developed PTSD groups reported the need for managing mood/stress and improving memory/attention. When considered simultaneously, the presence of ≥ 1 or ≥ 2 risk factors was associated with a higher proportion of participants in the developed and persistent PTSD groups, ps < .001. These risk factors may be useful in identifying SMVs at risk for the development and/or persistence of PTSD symptoms who may need intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rael T Lange
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Louis M French
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sara Lippa
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Samantha M Baschenis
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly C Gillow
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan E Glazer
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Alicia A Rogers
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Kendal E Cristaudo
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason M Bailie
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,33 Area Branch Clinic Camp Pendleton, California, USA
| | - Lars Hungerford
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Naval Medical Center San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jan Kennedy
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Tracey A Brickell
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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29
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Patel TA, Grubaugh AL, Cougle JR. Demographic and clinical correlates of social anxiety disorder among US veterans: findings from the NESARC-III study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2023:10.1007/s00127-023-02420-4. [PMID: 36680574 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02420-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is among the most highly prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disorders within the US population, but SAD has gone relatively unnoticed within the US veteran population. Preliminary research has demonstrated that SAD is related to decreased mental and physical functioning as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among veterans. METHODS The present study investigated SAD and its relationship with demographic factors, psychiatric disorders, suicidality, treatment seeking, and social support among veterans. Multivariate survey weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to observe these associations utilizing data from National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions which contained data on 3119 veterans. RESULTS SAD was found to be strongly related to PTSD and other anxiety disorder, and these disorders were related to increased treatment seeking for SAD. Further, SAD was associated with lifetime suicide attempts and decreased perceived social support in multivariate models adjusting for demographic factors and psychiatric comorbidities. CONCLUSION This study highlights the relationships of SAD among veterans by demonstrating its associations with other psychiatric disorders, treatment seeking, suicide attempts, and social support. A deeper understanding of the impact of SAD within the veteran population will inform future prevention and treatment efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan A Patel
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
| | - Anouk L Grubaugh
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jesse R Cougle
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA.
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30
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Núñez-Rios DL, Martínez-Magaña JJ, Nagamatsu ST, Krystal JH, Martínez-González KG, Giusti-Rodríguez P, Montalvo-Ortiz JL. Cross-Species Convergence of Brain Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Findings in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review. Complex Psychiatry 2023; 9:100-118. [PMID: 37404872 PMCID: PMC10315001 DOI: 10.1159/000529536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex multifactorial disorder influenced by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Analyses of epigenomic and transcriptomic modifications may help to dissect the biological factors underlying the gene-environment interplay in PTSD. To date, most human PTSD epigenetics studies have used peripheral tissue, and these findings have complex and poorly understood relationships to brain alterations. Studies examining brain tissue may help characterize the brain-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles of PTSD. In this review, we compiled and integrated brain-specific molecular findings of PTSD from humans and animals. Methods A systematic literature search according to the PRISMA criteria was performed to identify transcriptomic and epigenomic studies of PTSD, focusing on brain tissue from human postmortem samples or animal-stress paradigms. Results Gene- and pathway-level convergence analyses revealed PTSD-dysregulated genes and biological pathways across brain regions and species. A total of 243 genes converged across species, with 17 of them significantly enriched for PTSD. Chemical synaptic transmission and signaling by G-protein-coupled receptors were consistently enriched across omics and species. Discussion Our findings point out dysregulated genes highly replicated across PTSD studies in humans and animal models and suggest a potential role for the corticotropin-releasing hormone/orexin pathway in PTSD's pathophysiology. Further, we highlight current knowledge gaps and limitations and recommend future directions to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Leandra Núñez-Rios
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - José Jaime Martínez-Magaña
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sheila Tiemi Nagamatsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - John H. Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Paola Giusti-Rodríguez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Janitza L. Montalvo-Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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31
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Shiroff JJ, Gray K, Santulli GM, DiDonato S, Kelly PJ, Fulford JO. A Qualitative Exploration of the Use of Service Dogs in Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE 2022; 5:40-50. [PMID: 37293143 PMCID: PMC10245458 DOI: 10.1176/appi.prcp.20220029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This qualitative research was conducted to add to the body of knowledge that supports the benefits of service dogs (SDs), as a tertiary treatment modality, to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods This grounded theory research design utilized open-ended, semi-structured interviews with veterans (n = 10) who were using SDs as a treatment modality for PTSD and/or TBI. Transcripts were analyzed using NVivo qualitative software until data saturation was achieved. Results Results from the data analysis identified 4 major themes with concurrent subthemes. The most prominent themes were functional status, impact of a SD, recognition of symptoms of PTSD and/or TBI by the SD, and barriers and challenges to the acquisition of a SD. Participants reported that the SD increased socialization and was a positive adjunct to treatment modalities for PTSD and/or TBI. Conclusions Our study highlights the benefits of using a SD as a tertiary treatment for PTSD and/or TBI in veterans. Veterans in our study articulated the benefits of using a SD as a tertiary treatment option, and the need to make this a standard treatment option for all veterans who suffer from PTSD and/or TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J. Shiroff
- Jefferson College of NursingThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kathy Gray
- Jefferson College of NursingThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Stephen DiDonato
- Jefferson College of NursingThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Patricia J. Kelly
- Jefferson College of NursingThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
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Alcover KC, Poltavskiy EA, Howard JT, Watrous JR, Janak JC, Walker LE, Stewart IJ. Post-Combat-Injury Opioid Prescription and Alcohol Use Disorder in the Military. Am J Prev Med 2022; 63:904-914. [PMID: 36127194 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have identified combat exposure and combat traumatic experience as problematic drinking risk factors. Increasing evidence suggests that opioid use increases the risk of alcohol use disorder. This study investigated the association between opioid prescription use after injury and (1) alcohol use disorder and (2) severity of alcohol use disorder among deployed military servicemembers. METHODS Deidentified health records data of 9,029 deployed servicemembers from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed. Data were randomly selected from the Department of Defense Trauma Registry and included servicemembers with combat injuries during deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan (2002-2016). Pharmacy records and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision diagnosis codes were used. Three groups were identified (no opioid prescription use, nonpersistent opioid prescription use, and persistent opioid prescription use) and were compared on the basis of alcohol use disorder risk using Cox proportional hazard models. Data analyses were performed in 2021. RESULTS Of the 9,029 servicemembers with combat injury, 2,262 developed alcohol use disorder (1,322 developed severe alcohol use disorder). Compared with no opioid prescription use, increased alcohol use disorder risk was associated with persistent opioid prescription use, with a hazard ratio of 1.13 (95% CI=1.02, 1.26). After covariate adjustment, increased risk remained statistically significant (hazards ratio=1.24; 95% CI=1.10, 1.39). There was no significant difference in alcohol use disorder risk between no opioid prescription use and nonpersistent opioid prescription use. The risk of severe alcohol use disorder did not vary by opioid use among servicemembers with alcohol use disorder diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the study suggest that the incidence of alcohol use disorder was higher among injured servicemembers with persistent opioid prescription use than among those without opioid use. If replicated in prospective studies, the findings highlight the need for clinicians to consider the current and history of alcohol use of patients in initiating treatment involving opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl C Alcover
- Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Eduard A Poltavskiy
- Clinical Investigation Facility, David Grant U.S. Air Force Medical Center, Travis AFB, Fairfield, California
| | - Jeffrey T Howard
- Department of Public Health, The University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Jessica R Watrous
- Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Lauren E Walker
- Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ian J Stewart
- Department of Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland
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Massa AA, Sippel L, Kirby CM, Melkonian AJ, Back SE, Flanagan JC. Childhood Maltreatment and Use of Aggression among Veterans with Co-occurring PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder: The Mediating Role of Hostile Cognitions. JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, MALTREATMENT & TRAUMA 2022; 32:574-591. [PMID: 37124837 PMCID: PMC10139741 DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2022.2151961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
History of childhood maltreatment is common among military veterans, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Childhood maltreatment is associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, including use of aggression during adulthood. Prior research has identified maladaptive cognitions as a key mediating variable in the association between early life trauma and aggression. Given the high rates of comorbid PTSD and AUD among veterans and the increased risk of aggression when these conditions co-occur, it is critical to examine malleable intervention targets, such as maladaptive cognitions, for this population. The current secondary analyses examined the mediating role of hostile cognitions on the associations between childhood maltreatment and adulthood aggression in a sample of dually diagnosed veterans. Participants were veterans with co-occurring PTSD and AUD (N = 73) who were enrolled in a larger randomized controlled laboratory trial. Participants completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment, hostile cognitions, and aggressive behavior. Three models were tested to examine the mediating effect of hostility on the associations between childhood maltreatment, abuse, and neglect on aggression. Results indicated that hostility fully mediated the effect of maltreatment on aggression and partially mediated the effect of childhood abuse on aggression. The effect of childhood neglect on aggression was nonsignificant. Hostile cognitions may be a critical intervention target for veterans with co-occurring PTSD and AUD and history of childhood maltreatment, particularly for those who have experienced higher levels of childhood abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea A. Massa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Lauren Sippel
- National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, White River Junction, Vermont
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Charli M. Kirby
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Alexander J. Melkonian
- East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine
| | - Sudie E. Back
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Julianne C. Flanagan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina
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Prosek EA, Giordano AL, Burgin EE, Valverde N, Hagedorn WB. Predictors of hazardous drinking and internet gaming severity among a military sample. JOURNAL OF ADDICTIONS & OFFENDER COUNSELING 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jaoc.12114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Prosek
- Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - Amanda L. Giordano
- Department of Counseling and Human Development Services University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Burgin
- Department of School Psychology & Counselor Education William & Mary Williamsburg Virginia USA
| | - Nancy Valverde
- Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - W. Bryce Hagedorn
- Department of Counselor Education & School Psychology University of Central Florida Orange County Pennsylvania USA
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Casseus M, Graber JM, West B, Wackowski O. Tobacco use disparities and disability among US college students. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2022; 70:2079-2084. [PMID: 33151844 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1842425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of tobacco use among a nationally representative sample of college students with disabilities. Participants: Analyses were conducted on a sample of 6189 college students. Methods: Data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed for ever use, past-month, past-year use of tobacco products, and nicotine dependence. Regression models were conducted to examine the association between tobacco use and disability. Results: Prevalence of tobacco use was higher for students with disabilities. Odds of current tobacco use were higher for students with disabilities (adjusted odds ratio = 1.77) compared to those without disabilities. Students with disabilities also had greater odds of nicotine dependence. Conclusions: The prevalence of tobacco use and nicotine dependence was higher among students with disabilities compared to nondisabled students. As more students with disabilities enroll in postsecondary institutions, services must be provided to these students who are at increased risk for tobacco use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Casseus
- Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Research Department, Children's Specialized Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Judith M Graber
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Bernadette West
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Olivia Wackowski
- Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Center for Tobacco Studies, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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36
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Reznik A, Syunyakov T, Arbuzov A. Alcohol Addiction in War Veterans Treated in a In-patient Psychiatric Facility: Incidence, Comorbidity with PTSD Symptoms, Association with Combat Stressors. CONSORTIUM PSYCHIATRICUM 2022; 3:71-87. [PMID: 39044916 PMCID: PMC11262123 DOI: 10.17816/cp188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dearth of and inconsistency in the data on the prevalence, risks of occurrence, comorbidity, and causation of stress-related disorders and alcohol use disorders in Russian veterans of local wars constituted the background for this study. AIM To study the psychopathological structure, clinical changes, and the reasons for the mental disorders suffered by Russian veterans of local wars; in particular, to study the prevalence, pathogenic factors, comorbidity of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, together with symptoms of stress disorders, in Russian veterans undergoing inpatient treatment. METHODS Our observational case-control study included 685 patients who were undergoing treatment in the psychiatric department of a military hospital: the Main group (veterans) consisted of 264 veterans of armed conflicts who had undergone inpatient treatment from 1992 to 2010; the Control group, 1, 296 patients, all servicemen and military pensioners who had undergone inpatient treatment during a calendar year and had never taken part in combat operations in the past; Control group 2, 125 military personnel (regular and reserve) who had not taken part in combat operations and corresponded to the patients of the main group in terms of the mean age and age distribution curve. We performed a clinical and psychopathological analysis of the symptoms identified in patients from the compared samples and, then, compared them with the ICD-10 criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol-related disorders. This allowed us to establish the significance of the difference in their frequency and degree of association at the stage of the data analysis. RESULTS We uncovered no difference in the prevalence of symptoms of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse among veterans and other servicemen and military pensioners who had not taken part in combat operations. However, there was a tendency to underdiagnose alcohol addiction in veterans in general and those with symptoms of PTSD, in particular. That is, alcohol addiction was not diagnosed in most cases when the veterans displayed symptoms of stress or other mental disorders, in addition to the signs of alcohol addiction. In most such cases, a stress-related mental disorder or another mental disorder with identified signs was diagnosed and alcohol abuse was described as a concomitant disorder or a complication. There was no significant association between any form of alcohol addiction or abuse and the presence of stress disorder symptoms in our sample of veterans; on the contrary, symptoms of re-experience of trauma were more often observed in veterans who were not prone to frequent drinking. The incidence of combat stressors traced in the medical history did not differ in veterans with any form of alcohol abuse and veterans who were not prone to frequent drinking. However, the main group subjects with alcohol addiction more often displayed cases of addictive behavior during combat operations. Therefore, alcohol abuse during combat operations requires additional research to better establish its prognostic significance. CONCLUSION This Study found no difference in the incidence of alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse among veterans and other officers. In the sample of veterans, there was no significant association between alcoholism and the presence of PTSD symptoms or a history of combat stressors. It is possible that the same risk of alcohol addiction in different categories of military officers is due to a compact of social stressors that equally had a more significant adverse effect on the entire population of Russian military personnel in the 90s of the last century and the first years of this century, as well as the massive abuse of alcohol, which could also equalize the risks of developing alcohol dependence in all groups of militaries.
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Blakey SM, Griffin SC, Grove JL, Peter SC, Levi RD, Calhoun PS, Elbogen EB, Beckham JC, Pugh MJ, Kimbrel NA. Comparing psychosocial functioning, suicide risk, and nonsuicidal self-injury between veterans with probable posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder. J Affect Disord 2022; 308:10-18. [PMID: 35398395 PMCID: PMC9133145 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are each common among Unites States (U.S.) military veterans and frequently co-occur (i.e., PTSD+AUD). Although comorbid PTSD+AUD is generally associated with worse outcomes relative to either diagnosis alone, some studies suggest the added burden of comorbid PTSD+AUD is greater relative to AUD-alone than to PTSD-alone. Furthermore, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is more common among veterans than previously thought but rarely measured as a veteran psychiatric health outcome. This study sought to replicate and extend previous work by comparing psychosocial functioning, suicide risk, and NSSI among veterans screening positive for PTSD, AUD, comorbid PTSD+AUD, and neither disorder. METHODS This study analyzed data from a national sample of N = 1046 U.S. veterans who had served during the Gulf War. Participants self-reported sociodemographic, functioning, and clinical information through a mailed survey. RESULTS Veterans with probable PTSD+AUD reported worse psychosocial functioning across multiple domains compared to veterans with probable AUD, but only worse functioning related to controlling violent behavior when compared to veterans with probable PTSD. Veterans with probable PTSD+AUD reported greater suicidal ideation and NSSI than veterans with probable AUD, but fewer prior suicide attempts than veterans with probable PTSD. LIMITATIONS This study was cross-sectional, relied on self-report, did not verify clinical diagnoses, and may not generalize to veterans of other military conflicts. CONCLUSIONS Findings underscore the adverse psychiatric and functional outcomes associated with PTSD and comorbid PTSD+AUD, such as NSSI, and highlight the importance of delivering evidence-based treatment to this veteran population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M. Blakey
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,RTI International; Research Triangle Park, NC,Corresponding Author: Shannon M. Blakey, PhD, RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, Phone: 919-485-5427, Fax: 919-416-8033,
| | - Sarah C. Griffin
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC
| | - Jeremy L. Grove
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC
| | | | | | - Patrick S. Calhoun
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC
| | - Eric B. Elbogen
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC,VA National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans; Tampa, FL
| | - Jean C. Beckham
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC
| | - Mary J. Pugh
- VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System, Salt Lake City; UT,University of Utah School of Medicine Department of Medicine; Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Nathan A. Kimbrel
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC
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Contingency management and cognitive behavior therapy for smoking cessation among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Design and methodology of a randomized clinical trial. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 119:106839. [PMID: 35760338 PMCID: PMC9420819 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smoking is a prevalent concern among Veterans, especially those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the availability of interventions for smoking cessation, these treatments have not been as effective among Veteran populations, particularly Veterans with PTSD. The present study seeks to describe the methods of a randomized clinical trial examining the efficacy of CPT-SMART, a multidimensional treatment combining cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD, smoking cessation counseling, pharmacotherapy, and contingency management (CM) compared to a yoked comparison group. METHODS One hundred twenty Veterans with PTSD who smoke cigarettes will be enrolled. All participants will receive CPT in addition to counseling and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Participants will be randomized to the CPT-SMART condition, which includes monetary reinforcement that is contingent on bioverification of smoking abstinence (i.e., contingency management), or a yoked comparison with monetary reinforcement matched to the participant to whom they are yoked. The primary outcome is bioverified smoking abstinence at the 6-month follow-up appointment. CONCLUSION If shown efficacious, a combined PTSD and smoking treatment plus incentive-based approach for smoking could be implemented into specialty PTSD programs. The positive public health impact of reducing smoking among Veterans with PTSD could be enormous as it would prevent significant smoking-related morbidity and mortality.
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Moye J, Kaiser AP, Cook J, Pietrzak RH. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Older U.S. Military Veterans: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Psychiatric and Functional Burden. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2022; 30:606-618. [PMID: 34823979 PMCID: PMC8983567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2021.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the prevalence, characteristics, and comorbidities of subthreshold and full post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in older U.S. military veterans. DESIGN AND SETTING A nationally representative web-based survey of older U.S. military veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS) between November 18, 2019 and March 8, 2020. PARTICIPANTS U.S. veterans aged 60 and older (n = 3,001; mean age = 73.2, SD: 7.9, range: 60-99). MEASUREMENTS PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. Self-report measures assessed sociodemographic characteristics, trauma exposures, suicidal behaviors, psychiatric and substance use disorders, as well as mental, cognitive, and physical functioning. Multivariable analyses examined correlates of subthreshold and full PTSD. RESULTS The vast majority of the sample (n = 2,821; 92.7%) reported exposure to one or more potentially traumatic events. Of those exposed to such events, 262 (9.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.4%-10.9%) and 68 (1.9%, 95% CI: 1.3%-2.6%) screened positive for subthreshold and full PTSD, respectively. The prevalence of subthreshold and full PTSD was significantly higher in female veterans and veterans who use VA as their primary healthcare. Subthreshold and full PTSD groups endorsed more adverse childhood experiences and total traumas than the no/minimal PTSD symptom group, the most common traumatic experiences endorsed were combat exposure, physical or sexual assault, and life-threatening illness or injury. Veterans with subthreshold and full PTSD were also more likely to screen positive for depression, substance use disorders, suicide attempts, nonsuicidal self-injury, and suicidal ideation, and reported lower mental, cognitive, and physical functioning. CONCLUSION Subthreshold PTSD and full PTSD are prevalent and associated with substantial clinical burden in older U.S. veterans. Results underscore the importance of assessing both subthreshold and full PTSD in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Moye
- VA New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) (JM), Boston, MA; VA Boston Healthcare System (JM, APK), Boston, MA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School (JM), Boston, MA.
| | - Anica Pless Kaiser
- VA Boston Healthcare System (JM, APK), Boston, MA; National Center for PTSD (APK), Boston MA; Boston University School of Medicine (APK), Boston, MA
| | - Joan Cook
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System (JC, RHP), West Haven, CT; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine (JC, RHP), New Haven, CT
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System (JC, RHP), West Haven, CT; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine (JC, RHP), New Haven, CT; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health (RHP), New Haven, CT
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Tamman AJF, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Krystal JH, Southwick SM, Sippel LM, Gelernter J, Polimanti R, Pietrzak RH. Attachment Style Moderates Polygenic Risk for Incident Posttraumatic Stress in U.S. Military Veterans: A 7-Year, Nationally Representative, Prospective Cohort Study. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:637-646. [PMID: 34955171 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops consequent to complex gene-by-environment interactions beyond the precipitating trauma. To date, however, no known study has used a prospective design to examine how polygenic risk scores (PRSs) interact with social-environmental factors such as attachment style to predict PTSD development. METHODS PRSs were derived from a genome-wide association study of PTSD symptoms (N = 186,689; Million Veteran Program cohort). We evaluated combined effects of PRS and attachment style in predicting incident PTSD in a 7-year, nationally representative cohort of trauma-exposed, European-American U.S. military veterans without PTSD (N = 1083). We also conducted multivariate gene-by-environment interaction and drug repositioning analyses to identify loci that interact with multiple environmental factors and potential pharmacotherapies that may be repurposed for this disorder. RESULTS Veterans with higher PTSD PRS were more likely to have an incident-positive screen for PTSD over 7 years. A gene-by-environment interaction was also observed, such that higher PRS only predicted incident PTSD in veterans with an insecure attachment style and not those with a secure attachment style. At an individual locus level, the strongest gene-by-environment interaction was observed for the rs4702 variant of the FURIN gene with cumulative lifetime trauma burden. Drug repositioning revealed that genes implicated in PRS are perturbated by the drug doxylamine. CONCLUSIONS Attachment style moderates polygenic risk for the development of PTSD in European-American veterans. These findings may inform PTSD prevention and treatment for veterans with high polygenic risk for PTSD and suggest a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for risk genes moderated by social-environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J F Tamman
- Department of Psychology, St John's University, Queens, New York; Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
| | - Frank R Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Clinical Neurosciences Division, National Center for PTSD, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Steven M Southwick
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lauren M Sippel
- Executive Division, National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, Vermont; Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut; Clinical Neurosciences Division, National Center for PTSD, West Haven, Connecticut
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Pathak GA, Singh K, Wendt FR, Fleming TW, Overstreet C, Koller D, Tylee DS, De Angelis F, Cabrera Mendoza B, Levey DF, Koenen KC, Krystal JH, Pietrzak RH, O' Donell C, Gaziano JM, Falcone G, Stein MB, Gelernter J, Pasaniuc B, Mancuso N, Davis LK, Polimanti R. Genetically regulated multi-omics study for symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder highlights pleiotropy with hematologic and cardio-metabolic traits. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1394-1404. [PMID: 35241783 PMCID: PMC9210390 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01488-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may arise in response to severe traumatic event and is diagnosed based on three main symptom clusters (reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal) per the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (version DSM-IV-TR). In this study, we characterized the biological heterogeneity of PTSD symptom clusters by performing a multi-omics investigation integrating genetically regulated gene, splicing, and protein expression in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissue within a sample of US veterans enrolled in the Million Veteran Program (N total = 186,689). We identified 30 genes in 19 regions across the three PTSD symptom clusters. We found nine genes to have cell-type specific expression, and over-representation of miRNA-families - miR-148, 30, and 8. Gene-drug target prioritization approach highlighted cyclooxygenase and acetylcholine compounds. Next, we tested molecular-profile based phenome-wide impact of identified genes with respect to 1678 phenotypes derived from the Electronic Health Records of the Vanderbilt University biorepository (N = 70,439). Lastly, we tested for local genetic correlation across PTSD symptom clusters which highlighted metabolic (e.g., obesity, diabetes, vascular health) and laboratory traits (e.g., neutrophil, eosinophil, tau protein, creatinine kinase). Overall, this study finds comprehensive genomic evidence including clinical and regulatory profiles between PTSD, hematologic and cardiometabolic traits, that support comorbidities observed in epidemiologic studies of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Kritika Singh
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Frank R Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Tyne W Fleming
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cassie Overstreet
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Dora Koller
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Daniel S Tylee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Flavio De Angelis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brenda Cabrera Mendoza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Daniel F Levey
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Karestan C Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christopher O' Donell
- Cardiology Section, Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Michael Gaziano
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guido Falcone
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York Street, LLCI 1004D, Box 208018, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, Psychiatry Service, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Bogdan Pasaniuc
- Departments of Computational Medicine, Human Genetics, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Mancuso
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lea K Davis
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
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Blakey SM, Dillon KH, Wagner HR, Simpson TL, Beckham JC, Calhoun PS, Elbogen EB. Psychosocial well-being among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder. PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA : THEORY, RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY 2022; 14:421-430. [PMID: 33661689 PMCID: PMC8417144 DOI: 10.1037/tra0001018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Concurrent posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder (PTSD/SUD) in U.S. military veterans represents an urgent public health issue associated with significant clinical challenges. Although previous research has shown that veterans with PTSD/SUD endorse more psychosocial risk factors and fewer protective factors than veterans with neither or only one of these disorders, no study has applied a comprehensive framework to characterize the vocational, financial, and social well-being of veterans with PTSD/SUD. Furthermore, it is not fully known how well-being among veterans with PTSD/SUD compares to that of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) only, substance use disorder (SUD) only, or neither disorder. METHOD This cross-sectional observational study analyzed data from the National Post-Deployment Adjustment Survey, which recruited a random national sample of U.S. veterans who served on/after September 11, 2001. Participants (weighted N = 1,102) self-reported sociodemographic, clinical, and military background information in addition to aspects of their vocational, financial, and social well-being. RESULTS Veterans with PTSD/SUD were particularly likely to report lifetime experiences of homelessness, violent behavior, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Veterans with PTSD/SUD reported worse social well-being than the PTSD-only, SUD-only, and neither-disorder groups. They also reported worse vocational and financial well-being than veterans with SUD only or with neither disorder but did not significantly differ from the PTSD-only group on vocational or financial well-being. CONCLUSIONS The findings underscore the importance of assessing multiple aspects of well-being in veterans with PTSD and/or SUD. The findings also point to promising treatment targets to improve psychosocial functioning and overall quality of life among veterans with PTSD and/or SUD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M. Blakey
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC
| | - Kirsten H. Dillon
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Durham, NC
| | - H. Ryan Wagner
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Durham, NC
| | - Tracy L. Simpson
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Division; Seattle, WA,VA Center of Excellence for Substance Addiction Treatment and Education; Seattle, WA,University of Washington, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Seattle, WA
| | - Jean C. Beckham
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Durham, NC
| | - Patrick S. Calhoun
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Durham, NC
| | - Eric B. Elbogen
- Durham VA Health Care System; Durham, NC,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center; Durham, NC,Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Durham, NC,VA National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans; Tampa, FL
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Epigenome-wide association study of posttraumatic stress disorder identifies novel loci in U.S. military veterans. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:65. [PMID: 35177594 PMCID: PMC8854688 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01822-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic and disabling psychiatric disorder prevalent in military veterans. Epigenetic mechanisms have been implicated in the etiology of PTSD, with DNA methylation being the most studied to identify novel molecular biomarkers associated with this disorder. We performed one of the largest single-sample epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of PTSD to date. Our sample included 1135 male European-American U.S. veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). DNA was collected from saliva samples and the Illumina HumanMethylation EPIC BeadChip was used for the methylation analysis. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist. An EWAS was conducted using linear regression adjusted for age, cell-type proportions, first 10 principal components, and smoking status. After Bonferroni correction, we identified six genome-wide significant (GWS) CpG sites associated with past-month PTSD and three CpGs with lifetime PTSD (prange = 10-10-10-8). These CpG sites map to genes involved in immune function, transcription regulation, axonal guidance, cell signaling, and protein binding. Among these, SENP7, which is involved in transcription regulation and has been linked to risk-taking behavior and alcohol consumption in genome-wide association studies, replicated in an independent veteran cohort and was downregulated in medial orbitofrontal cortex of PTSD postmortem brain tissue. These findings suggest potential epigenetic biomarkers of PTSD that may help inform the pathophysiology of this disorder in veterans and other trauma-affected populations.
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Patel H, O'Connor C, Andrews K, Amlung M, Lanius R, McKinnon MC. Dissociative symptomatology mediates the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder severity and alcohol-related problems. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:289-299. [PMID: 35179786 PMCID: PMC9307004 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Up to 50% of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) endorse problematic alcohol use. Typically, these individuals present with more complex and often more severe PTSD symptoms than those who do not report problematic alcohol use. Emerging literature suggests that heightened symptoms of dissociation are likewise associated with greater PTSD symptom severity. Despite this knowledge, the role of dissociation in the relation between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems has yet to be examined. Here, we explore the mediating role of dissociative symptomatology on the association between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems within a PTSD treatment‐seeking sample. Methods Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediating role of dissociative symptomatology between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems. Participants [N = 334; mean age (SD) = 44.29 (9.77), 50% female] were drawn from a clinical intake battery database for PTSD in‐patient treatment services at Homewood Health Care, Guelph, ON, Canada. A subset of battery measures assessing PTSD severity, dissociative symptomatology, and alcohol‐related problems were submitted to analysis. Results A significant positive association emerged between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems (β = 0.127, p < 0.05) in the absence of dissociative symptomatology. Critically, however, when added to this model, dissociative symptomatology (six unique facets of dissociation assessed by the Multiscale Dissociation Inventory) mediated the relation between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems. Specifically, greater PTSD severity was associated with greater dissociative symptomatology (β = 0.566, p < 0.0001), which was in turn associated with greater alcohol‐related problems (β = 0.184, p < 0.05). Conclusions These results suggest that dissociative symptomatology plays a key role in explaining the relation between PTSD severity and alcohol‐related problems. Future studies should examine the impact of targeting dissociative symptomatology specifically in treating individuals with PTSD who endorse alcohol‐related problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herry Patel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Krysta Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Amlung
- Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.,Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Ruth Lanius
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margaret C McKinnon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.,Mental Health and Addictions Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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45
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A Scoping Review on the Prevalence and Determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Military Personnel and Firefighters: Implications for Public Policy and Practice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031565. [PMID: 35162587 PMCID: PMC8834704 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Firefighters and military personnel are public safety personnel who protect the safety of individuals and their properties. They are usually exposed to traumatic events leaving them at risk of developing mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Increasing concern is being raised regarding the mental health impacts, specifically PTSD, among military personnel and firefighters. Objective: There is an increased exposure of firefighters and military personnel to traumatic events and the attendant risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. It is crucial to ascertain the level of PTSD amongst this cohort and determinants to formulate policies and practices that mitigate the risk and protect public safety personnel. This scoping review sought to determine the prevalence of PTSD among this cohort globally and to explore determinants of this mental health condition. Methods: A literature search in databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE was conducted electronically from May 2021 to 31 July 2021. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to the predefined inclusion criteria and screening process undertaken to identify studies for the review. Articles were screened with a third reviewer, resolving conflicts where necessary and further assessing them for eligibility. During article selection, the PRISMA checklist was adopted, and with the Covidence software, a total of 32 articles were selected for the final examination. For the eligible studies, data extraction was conducted, information was collated and summarized, and the findings were reported. Original qualitative and quantitative data on the prevalence and predictors of PTSD among veterans, military, and firefighters were reported. Results: The prevalence of PTSD was 57% for firefighters and 37.8% for military personnel. Demographic factors, job factors, social support, injuries, physical and psychological factors, and individual traits were the main predictors of PTSD in this cohort. Conclusion: This information is vital for developing and implementing prevention and intervention strategies for PTSD in military personnel and firefighters. Recognizing and addressing factors that predict PTSD will help to improve mental wellbeing and increase productivity. More peer-reviewed studies are needed on the prevalence of PTSD amongst these cohorts.
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46
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Kelley DP, Venable K, Destouni A, Billac G, Ebenezer P, Stadler K, Nichols C, Barker S, Francis J. Pharmahuasca and DMT Rescue ROS Production and Differentially Expressed Genes Observed after Predator and Psychosocial Stress: Relevance to Human PTSD. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:257-274. [PMID: 34990116 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with cognitive deficits, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Animal models have recapitulated features of PTSD, but no comparative RNA sequencing analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the brain between PTSD and animal models of traumatic stress has been carried out. We compared DEGs from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of an established stress model to DEGs from the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) of humans. We observed a significant enrichment of rat DEGs in human PTSD and identified 20 overlapping DEGs, of which 17 (85%) are directionally concordant. N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a known indirect antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective compound with antidepressant and plasticity-facilitating effects. We tested the capacity of DMT, the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) harmaline, and "pharmahuasca" (DMT + harmaline) to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inflammatory gene expression and to modulate neuroplasticity-related gene expression in the model. We administered DMT (2 mg/kg IP), harmaline (1.5 mg/kg IP), pharmahuasca, or vehicle every other day for 5 days, following a 30 day stress regiment. We measured ROS production in the PFC and hippocampus (HC) by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and sequenced total mRNA in the PFC. We also performed in vitro assays to measure the affinity and efficacy of DMT and harmaline at 5HT2AR compared to 5-HT. DMT and pharmahuasca reduced ROS production in the PFC and HC, while harmaline had mixed effects. Treatments normalized 9, 12, and 14 overlapping DEGs, and pathway analysis implicated that genes were involved in ROS production, inflammation, growth factor signaling, neurotransmission, and neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Parker Kelley
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Katy Venable
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Aspasia Destouni
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Gerald Billac
- Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Philip Ebenezer
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Krisztian Stadler
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808, United States
| | - Charles Nichols
- Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Steven Barker
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Joseph Francis
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
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47
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Duran ÉP, Hemanny C, Vieira R, Nascimento O, Machado L, de Oliveira IR, Demarzo M. A Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Online-Treatment with Trial-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion and Positive Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Protocol. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:819. [PMID: 35055641 PMCID: PMC8775699 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research suggests the use of different forms of therapy as a way of decreasing dropout rates in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychotherapies to be assessed in this study are trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT), mindfulness-based health promotion (MBHP) and positive psychotherapy (PPT). OBJECTIVES (1) to assess the online efficacy of TBCT compared to MBHP and PPT to reduce the symptoms of PTSD in the context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; (2) to compare the efficacy of these psychotherapies in improving anxiety, depression, guilt and in promoting well-being; and (3) to describe how professionals perceive online treatment. METHODS A randomized, multicenter, single-blind clinical trial will be conducted, with three separate arms. An estimated sample of 135 patients will receive either TBCT, MBHP or PPT and will be treated through online, individual, weekly visits, totaling 14 sessions. The primary outcome will be CAPS-5 and secondary outcomes will be HADS and WHO-5. The variables used to mediate these outcomes will be the Trauma-Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI), Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) and the California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale (CALPAS-P). EXPECTED RESULTS PTSD symptoms are expected to be reduced after TBCT, MBHP and PPT. No statistical difference is expected to be found among the three. DISCUSSION The present study will evaluate and contribute towards the development of new psychotherapeutic options for patients with PTSD. The results of this study will allow the dissemination of new effective and adaptable interventions for patients with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érica Panzani Duran
- Postgraduate Program of Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-060, Brazil; (C.H.); (R.V.); (I.R.d.O.)
| | - Curt Hemanny
- Postgraduate Program of Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-060, Brazil; (C.H.); (R.V.); (I.R.d.O.)
| | - Renata Vieira
- Postgraduate Program of Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-060, Brazil; (C.H.); (R.V.); (I.R.d.O.)
| | - Orlando Nascimento
- Mente Aberta—Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo 04753-060, Brazil; (O.N.); (M.D.)
| | - Leonardo Machado
- Postgraduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Medical Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Federal University of Pernambuco (POSNEURO-CCM-UFPE), Recife 50070-460, Brazil;
| | - Irismar Reis de Oliveira
- Postgraduate Program of Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-060, Brazil; (C.H.); (R.V.); (I.R.d.O.)
| | - Marcelo Demarzo
- Mente Aberta—Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo 04753-060, Brazil; (O.N.); (M.D.)
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48
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Asch RH, Esterlis I, Wendt FR, Kachadourian L, Southwick SM, Gelernter J, Polimanti R, Pietrzak RH. Polygenic risk for traumatic loss-related PTSD in US military veterans: Protective effect of secure attachment style. World J Biol Psychiatry 2021; 22:792-799. [PMID: 33821766 PMCID: PMC8925016 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2021.1907721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine whether attachment style moderates the relationship between polygenic risk scores (PRS) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) re-experiencing (PTSDREX) symptoms and the severity of and positive screen for traumatic loss-related PTSD. METHODS Data were analysed from 631 US veterans who endorsed 'unexpected death of a loved one' as their 'worst' traumatic event. Multivariable models evaluated the association between PRS for PTSDREX, attachment style, and their interaction in predicting severity and positive screen for PTSD. A gene enrichment analysis was conducted to identify possible molecular mechanisms underlying the association between PTSDREX PRS and PTSD. RESULTS PTSDREX PRS (β = 0.17; odds ratio [OR] = 1.85), attachment style (β= -0.33; OR = 0.14), and PTSDREX PRS × attachment style interaction (β= -0.12; OR = 0.53) were significant predictors of the severity and positive screen for PTSD. The most significant gene set detected was the gene ontology (GO) cellular component podosome set (GO:0002102, p < 3.95 × 10-5). CONCLUSIONS Having a secure attachment style may help mitigate polygenic risk for developing traumatic loss-related PTSD in US veterans. Podosomes, which are implicated in inflammatory and neuroplasticity processes, may contribute to the genetic liability to developing loss-related PTSD. Psychological treatments targeting attachment security may help mitigate increased polygenic risk for loss-related PTSD in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H. Asch
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Irina Esterlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Frank R. Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lorig Kachadourian
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Steven M. Southwick
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H. Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.,Corresponding author:
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49
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Bhatt S, Hillmer AT, Rusowicz A, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Angarita GA, Najafzadeh S, Kapinos M, Southwick SM, Krystal JH, Carson RE, Huang Y, Cosgrove KP. Imaging brain cortisol regulation in PTSD with a target for 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:150452. [PMID: 34651587 DOI: 10.1172/jci150452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDInvestigations of stress dysregulation in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have focused on peripheral cortisol, but none have examined cortisol in the human brain. This study used positron emission tomography (PET) to image 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), a cortisol-producing enzyme, as a putative brain cortisol marker in PTSD.METHODSSixteen individuals with PTSD and 17 healthy, trauma-exposed controls (TCs) underwent PET imaging with [18F]AS2471907, a radioligand for 11β-HSD1.RESULTSPrefrontal-limbic 11β-HSD1 availability, estimated as [18F]AS2471907 volume of distribution (VT), was significantly higher in the PTSD group compared with the TC group (β = 1.16, P = 0.0057). Lower prefrontal-limbic 11β-HSD1 availability was related to greater overall PTSD severity (R2 = 0.27, P = 0.038) in the PTSD group. 11β-HSD1 availability was not related to plasma cortisol levels (R2 = 0.026, P = 0.37). In a PTSD subset (n = 10), higher 11β-HSD1 availability was associated with higher availability of translocator protein (TSPO), a microglial marker (β = 4.40, P = 0.039).CONCLUSIONHigher brain cortisol-producing 11β-HSD1 in the PTSD group may represent a resilience-promoting neuroadaptation resulting in lower PTSD symptoms. Along with preliminary associations between 11β-HSD1 and TSPO, corroborating previous evidence of immune suppression in PTSD, these findings collectively challenge previous hypotheses of the deleterious effects of both excessive brain glucocorticoid and brain immune signaling in PTSD.FUNDINGBrain and Behavior Research Foundation Independent Investigator Grant, National Institute of Mental Health grants F30MH116607 and R01MH110674, the Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Foundation Fellowship, Clinical and Translational Science Awards grant UL1 TR000142 from the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Bhatt
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ansel T Hillmer
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.,Department of Psychiatry, and.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Nabeel Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.,Department of Psychiatry, and.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Gustavo A Angarita
- Department of Psychiatry, and.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Michael Kapinos
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Steven M Southwick
- Department of Psychiatry, and.,US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, and.,US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Psychiatry, and.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.,Department of Psychiatry, and.,Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
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50
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Disentangling the association between PTSD symptom heterogeneity and alcohol use disorder: Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 142:179-187. [PMID: 34359013 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Veterans are at increased risk of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) relative to civilians. Few studies have explored the association between distinct PTSD symptoms and AUD in veterans, and existing findings are highly discrepant. This study aimed to address this gap and equivocal association by evaluating which PTSD symptom clusters are most associated with AUD in a veteran sample using the 7-factor 'hybrid' model of PTSD. Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a nationally representative survey of 4069 U.S. veterans. Veterans completed self-report measures to assess current PTSD symptoms and AUD. Multivariable logistic regression and relative importance analyses were conducted to examine associations between the 7-factor model of PTSD symptoms and AUD. Adjusting for sociodemographic, military, trauma factors, and depressive symptoms, scores on the dysphoric arousal (20.7% relative variance explained [RVE]) and externalizing behaviors (19.0% RVE) symptom clusters were most strongly associated with AUD in the full sample, while externalizing behaviors (47.7% RVE), anxious arousal (23.9% RVE), and dysphoric arousal (12.4%) accounted for the majority of explained variance in veterans who screened positive for PTSD. Results of this nationally representative study of U.S. veterans highlight the importance of externalizing behaviors and arousal symptoms of PTSD as potential drivers of AUD in this population. The 7-factor hybrid model of PTSD provides a more nuanced understanding of PTSD-AUD associations, and may help inform risk assessment and more personalized treatment approaches for veterans with and at-risk for AUD.
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