Post-traumatic stress disorder: the role of the amygdala and potential therapeutic interventions – a review

IntroductionPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder triggered by exposure to a life-threatening or sexually violent traumatic event, and is characterized by symptoms involving intrusive re-experiencing, persistent avoidance of associated stimuli, emotional and cognitive disturbances, and hyperarousal for long periods after the trauma has occurred. These debilitating symptoms induce occupational and social impairments that contribute to a significant clinical burden for PTSD patients, and substantial socioeconomic costs, reaching approximately $20,000 dollars per individual with PTSD each year in the US. Despite increased translational research focus in the field of PTSD, the development of novel, effective pharmacotherapies for its treatment remains an important unmet clinical need.ObservationsIn this review, we summarize the evidence implicating dysfunctional activity of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of PTSD. We identify the transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) ion channels as promising drug targets given their distribution in the amygdala, and evidence from animal studies demonstrating their role in fear response modulation. We discuss the evidence-based pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatment approaches for PTSD.DiscussionIn view of the prevalence and economic burden associated with PTSD, further investigation is warranted into novel treatment approaches based on our knowledge of the involvement of brain circuitry and the role of the amygdala in PTSD, as well as the potential added value of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to better manage PTSD symptoms

Use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in a Rural Outreach Program for Military Veterans

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a free, easily accessible screener ideal for rural areas where resources are limited. We examined administration and scoring by Veteran Community Outreach Health Workers (VCOHWs); compared positive screening rates using two cutoff scores; and examined predictors of education-adjusted scores in N = 168 rural military Veterans from the Alabama Veteran Rural Health Initiative. Accuracy of administration (95 percent) and scoring (68 percent) was calculated and recommendations are offered. Higher than expected rates of positive screens were observed (40 percent using 24/30 cutoff) in this relatively young (M = 55 years) community-dwelling sample. Age, education, and race but not subjective health predicted differences in domain and total education-adjusted scores on multivariate and univariate tests. This study advances social science research in rural communities by being the first to: (1) examine MoCA scores in a rural, Deep South U.S. sample; and (2) report fidelity administration data for VCOHWs

Personality Assessment in Neuropsychology: The Nonspecificity of MMPI-2 Neurocorrection Methods

Three established methods of neurocorrection claim to improve Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)/MMPI-2 validity with closed-head injury (CHI) patients. These methods (which suggest removing `neurological' items from scoring) were employed here comparing 35 CHI patients with 35 psychiatric patients with elevated profiles. The 14-item correction changed 2-point codes for 41% of CHI and 31% of psychiatric profiles, the 30-item system changed 77% of CHI and 71% of psychiatric profiles, whereas the 37-item system changed 80% of CHI and 71% of psychiatric profiles. There were no significant differences between the two groups in number of profiles changed or number of neurocorrective items endorsed. Using each of the three correction systems, the following percentage of profiles remained elevated: 99%, 87%, and 89%, respectively.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

The methods and baseline characteristics of a multi-site randomized controlled trial evaluating mindfulness-based relapse prevention in conjunction with peer support to improve adherence to medications for opioid use disorders

IntroductionMedications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) remain the gold standard for treating OUD, but treatment initiation and adherence remain challenging. Exclusive utilization of pharmacotherapy as a treatment modality for OUD is sub-optimal, and a combination of psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies is recommended. General trends indicate the benefits of peer mentoring and MBRP separately. Therefore, we hypothesize that the combined effect of MBRP and Peer mentoring will produce synergistic improvements in MOUD adherence compared to an enhanced twelve-step facilitation (TSF).MethodsThis paper describes the methods and baseline characteristics of a multi-site randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a combination of MBRP and peer support (MiMP) compared to an enhanced TSF in improving adherence to MOUD. Both MiMP and TSF are 12-week manualized protocols that utilize licensed therapists. The interventions are delivered in weekly group sessions that last about 75–90 minutes per session. The primary outcome is MOUD adherence. Secondary and exploratory outcomes include relapse, cravings, depression, anxiety, stress, quality of life, and pain catastrophizing.ResultsThe participants’ ages ranged from 21 years to 77 years, with a mean age of 44.5 (SD ± 11.5 years). There was an almost equal distribution of gender and place of residence. Overall, 51.9% (n=54) of participants identified as female and 48.1% (n=50) were male. Similarly, 51.9% (n=54) of participants resided in urban areas, while 48.1% (n=50) resided in rural areas. Participants identified as either black or white, with over three-quarters identifying as white (77.9%, n= 81) and 22.1% (n= 23) as black. Most participants randomized to the 12-step facilitation group were white (93.1%). Relationships and employment status were well distributed between categories. Over half of the participants reported some college or higher education. Over 90% of the participants made less than $75,000 per year. Some participants indicated that they had both public and private health insurance.Discussion and conclusionThis study is innovative in several ways including combining MBRP and peer support, addressing comorbid mental health issues among individuals with OUD, utilizing manualized protocols, and evaluating of both physiological and self-reported measures in assessing cortisol reactivity as a predictor of relapse and treatment outcomes

The Impacts of Flood, Drought, and Turbidites on Organic Carbon Burial Over the Past 2,000 years in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Climate conditions and instantaneous depositional events can influence the relative contribution of sediments from terrestrial and marine environments and ultimately the quantity and composition of carbon buried in the sediment record. Here, we analyze the elemental, isotopic, and organic geochemical composition of marine sediments to identify terrestrial and marine sources in sediment horizons associated with droughts, turbidites, and floods in the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB), California, during the last 2,000 years. Stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) indicate that more terrestrial organic carbon (OC) was deposited during floods relative to background sediment, while bulk C to nitrogen (C/N) ratios remained relatively constant (~10). Long- chain n- alkanes (C27, C29, C31, and C33), characteristic of terrestrial OC, dominated all types of sediment deposition but were 4 times more abundant in flood layers. Marine algae (C15, C17, and C19) and macrophytes (C21 and C23) were also 2 times higher in flood versus background sediments. Turbidites contained twice the terrestrial n- alkanes relative to background sediment. Conversely, drought intervals were only distinguishable from background sediment by their higher proportion of marine algal n- alkanes. Combined, our data indicate that 15% of the total OC buried in SBB over the past 2,000 years was deposited during 11 flood events where the sediment was mostly terrestrially derived, and another 12% of deep sediment OC burial was derived from shelf remobilization during six turbidite events. Relative to twentieth century river runoff, our data suggest that floods result in considerable terrestrial OC burial on the continental margins of California.Key PointsTerrestrial organic carbon is the dominant source of carbon to the SBB with deposition significantly increasing during flood eventsEpisodic flood and turbidite remobilization events were responsible for over 25% of the OC buried in the SBB over the past 2,000 yearsDrought sedimentation had significantly lower sedimentation rates and had an n- alkane composition consistent with increased marine inputsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156217/4/palo20901-sup-0002-2020PA003849-fs01.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156217/3/palo20901_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156217/2/palo20901.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156217/1/palo20901-sup-0003-2020PA003849-fs02.pd

Hydraulic permeability and compressive properties of porcine and human synovium

The synovium is a multilayer connective tissue separating the intra-articular spaces of the diarthrodial joint from the extra-synovial vascular and lymphatic supply. Synovium regulates drug transport into and out of the joint, yet its material properties remain poorly characterized. Here, we measured the compressive properties (aggregate modulus, Young\u27s modulus, and Poisson\u27s ratio) and hydraulic permeability of synovium with a combined experimental-computational approach. A compressive aggregate modulus and Young\u27s modulus for the solid phase of synovium were quantified from linear regression of the equilibrium confined and unconfined compressive stress upon strain, respectively (

Anatomy and Three-Dimensional Reconstructions of the Brain of a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) From Magnetic Resonance Images

Cetacean (dolphin, whale, and porpoise) brains are among the least studied mammalian brains because of the formidability of collecting and histologically preparing such relatively rare and large specimens. Magnetic resonance imaging offers a means of observing the internal structure of the brain when traditional histological procedures are not practical. Furthermore, internal structures can be analyzed in their precise anatomic positions, which is difficult to accomplish after the spatial distortions often accompanying histological processing. In this study, images of the brain of an adult bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, were scanned in the coronal plane at 148 antero-posterior levels. From these scans a computer-generated three-dimensional model was constructed using the programs Voxel-View and VoxelMath (Vital Images, Inc.). This model, wherein details of internal and external morphology are represented in three-dimensional space, was then resectioned in orthogonal planes to produce corresponding series of virtual sections in the horizontal and sagittal planes. Sections in all three planes display the sizes and positions of major neuroanatomical features such as the arrangement of cortical lobes and subcortical structures such as the inferior and superior colliculi, and demonstrate the utility of MRI for neuroanatomical investigations of dolphin brains

Prospectus, October 29, 1986

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1986/1027/thumbnail.jp