Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Davidson, J. R.T. Articles by Yehuda, R. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Davidson, J. R.T. Articles by Yehuda, R. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Acquisition, Recognition, Course, and Treatment

Received June 27, 2002; revised November 13, 2002; accepted December 11, 2002. From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC, USA; University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa and University of Florida, Gainesville, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel and Psychiatry Department, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. Address correspondence to Dr. Davidson, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, tolme{at}acpub.duke.edu (E-mail).

Following exposure to trauma, a large number of survivors will develop acute symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which mostly dissipate within a short time. In a minority, however, these symptoms will evolve into chronic and persistent PTSD. A number of factors increase the likelihood of this occurring, including characteristic autonomic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses. PTSD often presents with comorbid depression, or in the form of somatization, both of which significantly reduce the possibilities of a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Mainstay treatments include exposure-based psychosocial therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as paroxetine and sertraline, both of which have been found to be effective in PTSD. This paper looks at the course of PTSD, its disabling effect, its recognition and treatment, and considers possible new research directions.

Key Words: Posttraumatic stress disorder • SSRIs • Comorbidity • Recognition and treatment

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. B. Binder, R. G. Bradley, W. Liu, M. P. Epstein, T. C. Deveau, K. B. Mercer, Y. Tang, C. F. Gillespie, C. M. Heim, C. B. Nemeroff, et al. Association of FKBP5 Polymorphisms and Childhood Abuse With Risk of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Adults JAMA, March 19, 2008; 299(11): 1291 - 1305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Fauerbach, J. McKibben, O. J. Bienvenu, G. Magyar-Russell, M. T. Smith, R. Holavanahalli, D. R. Patterson, S. A. Wiechman, P. Blakeney, and D. Lezotte Psychological Distress After Major Burn Injury Psychosom Med, June 1, 2007; 69(5): 473 - 482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Meltzer-Brody, J. Leserman, D. Zolnoun, J. Steege, E. Green, and A. Teich Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain Obstet. Gynecol., April 1, 2007; 109(4): 902 - 908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. COHEN, M. A. MATAR, G. RICHTER-LEVIN, and J. ZOHAR The Contribution of an Animal Model Toward Uncovering Biological Risk Factors for PTSD Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., July 1, 2006; 1071(1): 335 - 350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Glass Is Grief a Disease? Sometimes. JAMA, June 1, 2005; 293(21): 2658 - 2660. [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2004 American Neuropsychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us