| The article reports on a study published in the October | | | | complicated by the fact that people frequently change |
| 15th 2008 issue of Biological Psychiatry. The | | | | contexts thereby requiring different interventions. The |
| researchers found "...In an animal model of | | | | soldier in combat eventually returns home and may |
| posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), high doses of a | | | | then become involved in a care accident. The |
| cortisol-related substance, corticosterone, prevented | | | | researchers note that "...we need further guidance |
| negative consequences of stress exposure, including | | | | from animal research about how to help soldiers adjust |
| increased startle response and behavioral freezing | | | | flexibly across contexts, from the battlefield to the |
| when exposed to reminders of the stress. However, | | | | breakfast table." Given the complexity of PTSD and its |
| low-dose corticosterone potentiated these responses." | | | | development the researchers conclude that "...single |
| There are a number of interesting implications of this | | | | high-dose corticosteroid treatment may thus be |
| study. First, this research makes clear that | | | | worthy of clinical investigation as a possible avenue for |
| coricosterone is a critical ingredient in the development | | | | early pharmacotherapeutic intervention in the acute |
| of PTSD. The researchers note that "...corticosterone | | | | phase, aimed at prevention of chronic stress-related |
| levels may influence both vulnerability and resilience in a | | | | disorders, such as PTSD. In this sense, it brings |
| dose-dependent manner through its involvement in | | | | treatment of PTSD to a new era - an era of |
| memory processes." Second, context is a major | | | | secondary prevention." |
| determinant in the development of PTSD. The | | | | Four Tips on How to Treat PTSD |
| researchers note that "...In some situations, for example | | | | Combining the results of this research study with our |
| following a car accident in an otherwise secure | | | | expertise and experience treating patients with PTSD, |
| community, one objective of treatment is to restore a | | | | we offer four tips on how to treat one's PTSD. First, |
| sense of normalcy and control of one's life. Within this | | | | seek assistance from a qualified mental health |
| context, the high-dose corticosterone would seem to | | | | professional who can determine if one is a candidate |
| be the indicated treatment. However, one could | | | | for the use of corticosterone. Second, seek out |
| imagine scenarios where hypervigilance and | | | | appropriate counseling and psychotherapy to treat the |
| heightened emotional reactivity could be adaptive, | | | | PTSD. Third, seek out the opinion of a qualified medical |
| perhaps in a combat zone. In that case, the lower and | | | | professional to determine if other medications may be |
| more typical corticosterone levels might help soldiers | | | | useful in the treatment of the PTSD. And, fourth, seek |
| adapt to the continuing risks of combat." | | | | out the guidance and support of friends and family |
| Third, the challenge of reducing the risks of PTSD is | | | | members as one begins treatment for one's PTSD. |