INTRODUCTION:
REVIEW OF POST TRAUMATIC RECALL (A field report by: Jessica Glynn, CSW)
PTSD can occur in all different extremes with at-risk professionals (like cops, responders and veterans). The trauma that they experience are above the ordinary that they could cause extreme flashbacks, anxiety and depression—heavily affecting their quality of life. The average civilian is also prone to this disorder starting with MICRO-TRAUMAS that can happen to everybody throughout any point in their lifetime. Usually stemmed from childhood issues, micro-traumas actually shape the way an individual reacts to other people. As an example, child bullying may lead to developing a protective or defensive personality disorder. Anytime they feel disrespected or embarrassed by others, feelings of extreme uncontrollable anger may arise without knowing the source of the hurt or why they're acting in that way. This dilemma often causes problems in relationships.
Similarly, a first responder who experiences extreme traumas like horrendous disasters may stick with them in a much harsher way that could lead to flashbacks that are hallucinatory. If gone unchecked or untreated, these symptoms (including auditory hallucinations) can get increasingly more intense and expand to other symptoms that can affect their daily functions. A common way that anxiety can debilitate a sufferer is from recurrent lack of sleep disrupted by bad dreams triggered by the traumatic event.
Enduring trauma is different and unique for everyone. Some cases are event-specific (having intense auditory impact or visual intensity of a terrifying event) while other cases are contingent upon the tolerance of an individual. There are people who are more emotionally expressive than others- and that might help with if they talk about the trauma that they've been through. A latent emotional disorder like PTSD symptoms can come out over time just like anything that is suppressed or repressed. It could take some time for somebody who came back from combat or a first responder who has been in a traumatic event to show signs of disturbance. They could be holding it in and repeatedly thinking about it privately (or ruminating over it) allowing the disturbing memories to get more intense by the day. This can often be a coping mechanism- protecting themselves from dark or negative feelings for a while, but eventually it builds up and can become symptomatic like flashbacks and anxiety, then leading to an eventual explosion. Meanwhile, some people just have flashbacks right after the experience because of the way that everybody's brain processes differently. Others obsess over thoughts that keep popping up over and over again. It really just depends on the person.
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See complete article at IMMUNOLOGY TODAY
Also see video on "THE PITTS- 5 Elements that Affect the Immune System"
TRANSCRANIAL NEURO-IMAGING FOR STRESS RELATED DISORDERS
By Dr. Robert L. Bard
Emotional traumas and stress influencers are scientifically aligned with anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders, drug/alcohol abuse and a wide list of physiological health issues. These symptoms are typically diagnosed by mental health professionals through observational science and behavioral analysis. But within the past 15 years, global advancements in transcranial imaging pioneered the ability to detect trauma-related issues in the brain through neurological imaging. Now, neurological stress can be identified clinically by monitoring chronic imbalance and changes in the neurochemical structure (or circuitry). The shift in memory performance - specifically the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex is one indicator of this imbalance whereby a stressful event can show images with signs of neuronal dysfunction.
Neuro-imaging measures brain thought activity which has known chemical tissue changes by observing the alterations in capillary blood vessels in the retina located in close proximity to the main emotional center of the anterior brain. Functional MRI (fMRI) is currently used to show brain chemical changes with cognitive commands such as “death vs freedom.” Most recognizable patterns with suicide occur in the anterior cingulate cortex of the brain which lies directly behind the globe and is vascularized by orbital branches of the anterior cerebral artery. Functional near infrared imaging (fNIR) devices show changes in brain oxygenation linked to suicide.
Another imaging innovation is the TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER (TCD) - a type of sonogram that is a non‐invasive, non‐ionizing, inexpensive, portable and safe technique that uses a pulsed Doppler transducer for assessment of the blood flow in the anterior cerebral arterial circulation. This technology has been used to evaluate intracranial steno‐occlusive disease, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and extracranial diseases (including carotid artery disease and subclavian steal syndrome), detection of microembolic signals and acute strokes. [5] The Transcranial Doppler has been used to examine the mean speed of blood circulation of patients to validate and monitor treatment efficacy by tracking cranial blood vessels and vertebrobasilar flow vasospasm. (See complete report from Military Medicine)
Another device used by imaging specialists to detect mental distress is through an EYE SONOGRAM or Real Time Sonofluoroscopy of the orbital soft tissues of the eyes. This process is performed in multiple scan planes with varying transducer configurations and frequencies. Power and color Doppler use angle 0 degrees and PRF at 0.9 at the optic nerve head. 3D imaging of optic nerve and carotid, central retinal arteries and superficial posterior ciliary arteries performed in erect position before & after verbal communication and orbital muscle tissue contractions may be observed as a precursor to visual changes in facial expression. Retinal arterial directional flow is also measured with peak systolic and diastolic values. Bulging of the optic nerve head is checked as increased intracranial pressure may be demonstrable in this condition. Other innovations such as the TRANSORBITAL DOPPLER, 3D/4D VESSEL DENSITY HISTOGRAM and the RETINAL OCT (optical coherence tomography) are also being explored in the pursuit of studying brain performance through the eyes. An expanded review on these solutions will be available in part 2 of this report.
CONTRIBUTORS / EDITORIAL TEAM
ROBERT L. BARD, MD, PC, DABR, FASLMS - Advanced Imaging & Diagnostic Specialist
Having paved the way for the study of various cancers both clinically and academically, Dr. Robert Bard co-founded the 9/11 CancerScan program to bring additional diagnostic support to all first responders from Ground Zero. His main practice in midtown, NYC (Bard Diagnostic Imaging- www.CancerScan.com) uses the latest in digital Imaging technology has been also used to help guide biopsies and in many cases, even replicate much of the same reports of a clinical invasive biopsy. Imaging solutions such as high-powered Sonograms, Spectral Doppler, sonofluoroscopy, 3D/4D Image Reconstruction and the Spectral Doppler are safe, noninvasive, and does not use ionizing radiation. It is used as a complement to find anomalies and help diagnose the causes of pain, swelling and infection in the body’s internal organs while allowing the diagnostician the ability to zoom and ‘travel’ deep into the body for maximum exploration.
JESSE STOFF, MD, HMD, FAAFP - Cancer Immunologist / Publisher of Wellness Programs
Dr. Stoff is a highly-credentialed medical expert studying all medical remedies in pursuit of resolving the most challenging health issues of our time. In many circles, he is recognized for his 35+ years of dedicated work in immunology and advanced clinical research in modern CANCER treatments. He has spoken worldwide in some of the most sought-after medical conferences about his experiences and analyses on the study of human disease. His integrative practice (INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE OF NY, Westbury, NY) has been continually providing all patients with the many comprehensive clinical options and modalities available- including "ONCO-IMMUNOLOGY", the science of battling cancer cells and reversing pre-cancerous conditions through a complete prevention program that has earned him great success in this field. For more information, visit: www.Dr.JesseStoff.com
JESSICA A. GLYNN, LMSW, CPC, CEC - Responders' Mental Health Program
2) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cop-doc/201811/cops-and-ptsd
3) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2729089/
5) Transcranial Doppler: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2659960/
6) Transcranial Doppler 2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11725323
7) Design and Validation of an FPGA-Based Configurable Transcranial Doppler Neurofeedback System for Chronic Pain Patients https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc6069097
8) https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/166/11/955/4819466
9) PTSD Diagnosis Aided By New Imaging Techniques https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/topics/anxiety/ptsd-trauma-and-stressor-related/ptsd-diagnosis-aided-by-new-imaging-techniques/
10) https://psychcentral.com/news/2014/12/02/imaging-studies-differentiate-ptsd-mild-brain-injury/78060.html
11) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-many-faces-anxiety-and-trauma/201904/how-do-we-diagnose-ptsd
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