PTSD testing call for recruits
A CLINICAL psychologist is calling on people diagnosed, or suspected of having, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to undertake an interview and scan to establish a standard test to see chemical changes in the brain.
Rosanna Tremewan, who worked at the on- base hospital at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, is part of a project at Australia’s Translational Research Institute, which is looking to recruit about 100 people for the test.
A collaboration between the TRI, the Queensland Institute of Technology and the Princess Alexandra Hospital has developed a new scanning technique that identifies chemical changes in the brains of people suffering PTSD.
“Identifying which biochemical pathways are deregulated in a PTSD sufferer’s brain, and comparing it to a healthy brain, enables an objective way of diagnosing the condition and developing treatments that target the changes,” Dr Tremewan said.
“TRI wants to increase awareness of this research during Mental Health Week because it needs people who have been diagnosed, or are suspected to have, PTSD to volunteer for a study that involves a comprehensive psychological interview and a brain scan in the new state- of- the- art research 3T Prisma MRI scanner that has been installed at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.”
Dr Tremewan said there was currently no imaging that could diagnose PTSD.
“Nothing shows up on normal scans,” she said. “That’s why we’ve been working hard to develop this new technique: so we can actually see what PTSD is doing to the brain.”
PTSD is a complex and disabling condition that can develop in some people following exposure to a life- threatening event such as a serious road traffic accident or physical assault.
Sufferers experience symptoms such as recurrent and intrusive recollections of the trauma; nightmares; flashbacks; distress at and avoidance of reminders; hypervigilance; irritable behaviour and angry outbursts; sleep disturbance; problems with concentration; loss of interest or participation in activities; and mood changes.
Dr Tremewan said at present, there was no medication that was specifically targeted to treat PTSD and the goldstandard treatment was cognitive behavioural therapy.
“Unfortunately, full recovery is rare and relapse is common,” she said. “The US and Australian Defence Forces are funding this research to better diagnose and treat frontline defenders. PTSD also heavily impacts other professions, especially first responders such as the police, ambulance and fire brigade.”