Week 10: Stress and trauma Flashcards
PTSD used to be considered what in the DSM5?
Anxiety disorder
What characterizes PTSD?
Re-experiencing, avoidance, negative changes in thoughts and mood, and hyperarousal following exposure to a traumatic event
What is the first line of treatment for PTSD?
Trauma focussed therapy
What can you treat PTSD with if not trauma-focused therapy?
Non-trauma focussed therapies
Medications
ECT - triggers a brief seizure
What medication is used for PTSD?
SSRIs
What is focal brain stimulation?
It is a potential stand-alone treatment for PTSD
Involves applying energy to specific brain regions to alter the activity of a brain site as well as its connections
What are the 3 focal brain stimulation techniques and how invasive are they?
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) - most focal but the most intensive
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): less focussed than DBS but also not as invasive
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): this is non-focal and non-invasive
What is vagus nerve stimulation used for?
to indirectly stimulate neural targets via this nerve
What two brain structures are involved in PTSD but are hard to stimulate because of their location in the brain?
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
How can you reach the amygdala to stimulate it?
You can target indirectly via prefrontal structures through TMS or through DBS (however for DBS it requires surgery and has risks)
What do we see in the brain when first-line treatments to PTSD don’t work?
Hyperactivation of the amygdala
Reduced hippocampal volume
DBS to stimulate the amygdala has found…
a clinical improvement in PTSD symptoms
Trauma can result from…..
One or multiple threatening and stressful events
What does trauma result in?
Persistent negative effect and activation of the threat system
What is the basic route of the threat system?
Sensory information coming into the system that is centred around the amygdala and output from the autonomic nervous system and the HPA axis
What are some persistent negative effects that may result from trauma?
Intense fear Terror Loss of hope Anxiety Guilt Shame Hyperarousal
What are the specific trauma and stress-related disorders in the DSM5
PTSD Acute stress disorder (ASD) Adjustment disorder Reactive adjustment disorder Disinhibited social engagement disorder Unclassified or unspecified trauma disorders
What might stress and trauma disorders be comorbid with?
Depression Substance abuse Eating disorders Self-harming behaviors Dissociative behaviors Personality disorders
For adults and children over the age of 6, what are the PTSD symptoms?
Upsetting memories Feeling on edge Having trouble sleeping World feels unsafe May try and avoid things that remind them of the trauma
Who can develop PTSD?
Anyone at any age
What increases the likelihood of PTSD?
Very intense or very long-lasting traumatic events
Also getting injured