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Related Concept Videos

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder01:27

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Dissociative Disorders01:27

Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative disorders represent complex psychological conditions characterized by disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. These disruptions cause individuals to experience a disconnection from their thoughts, emotions, and memories. The phenomenon is not merely an occasional lapse in attention but a profound alteration in mental functioning that can severely impact daily life.
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Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
Repressed Memory01:16

Repressed Memory

Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
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Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused

Emotion-focused coping refers to a set of strategies aimed at managing the emotional impact of stressors, rather than directly addressing their causes. This approach involves altering one's emotional response to stressful situations to reduce their psychological effects. For example, individuals might talk with a friend or engage in activities like journaling to express their feelings. Such actions can help achieve emotional clarity or release, providing the psychological stability needed to...

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Simultaneous Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Virtual Reality Exposure
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Published on: January 18, 2021

Executive function and PTSD: disengaging from trauma.

Robin L Aupperle1, Andrew J Melrose, Murray B Stein

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), 8939 Villa La Jolla Dr., Suite 200, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. raupperle@ucsd.edu

Neuropharmacology
|February 26, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Subtle executive function impairments, like poor response inhibition and attention regulation, may precede trauma and increase posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk. These cognitive deficits are linked to PTSD severity and dorsal prefrontal network dysfunction.

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Published on: March 8, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuropsychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Neuropsychological factors are crucial for understanding susceptibility and resilience in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Executive functions, including response inhibition and attention regulation, are key cognitive processes.
  • Understanding cognitive underpinnings is vital for PTSD research and treatment development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review prospective longitudinal and retrospective cross-sectional studies on executive function and PTSD.
  • To identify specific executive function impairments associated with PTSD development and severity.
  • To propose a model linking cognitive deficits to PTSD clinical profiles and coping mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of existing neuropsychological research.
  • Analysis of studies investigating executive function in relation to trauma exposure.
  • Examination of prospective and retrospective study designs.

Main Results:

  • Subtle impairments in response inhibition and attention regulation are consistently observed.
  • These executive function deficits may predate trauma exposure, acting as risk factors.
  • Impairments correlate with PTSD symptom severity and dorsal prefrontal network dysfunction.

Conclusions:

  • Executive function deficits, particularly in response inhibition and attention, are implicated in PTSD.
  • These cognitive impairments may contribute to PTSD development, maintenance, and coping strategies like avoidance.
  • Further research is needed to explore treatment effects on cognition and develop novel PTSD therapies.