The devastating prevalence of suicide among American Indian and Alaska Native veterans has not decelerated. In fact, the latest data from the Department of Veterans Affairs shows a historic rise. Now, Televeda, a group with a recently launched program to address that startling reality is hoping their work can offer an upstream approach to tackle the multilayered challenge.

A new study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Neurotrauma shows that in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) that need an external ventricular drain (EVD) insertion to control intracranial hypertension, early (Click here to read the article now. The investigators compared 6-month neurological outcomes between patients with moderate to severe TBI who received early EVD insertion versus later (more than 24-hours after injury) EVD insertion. The results showed that late EVD insertion was associated with an increased risk of death or severe disability at 6-months follow-up.

Although service members know they may lose their lives in combat in service of their country, they may not expect to lose their lives – or those they love – to suicide. A 2021 study estimated that four times as many active duty service members and veterans died by suicide as died in battle since 9/11.

Stress-related disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression are complex conditions influenced by both genetics and our environment. Despite significant research, the molecular mechanisms behind these disorders have remained elusive. However, researchers at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin have broken new ground with a study that sheds light on the intricate differences occurring in the brains of people with PTSD and depression compared to neurotypical controls. The study, published this week in Science, could provide potential avenues for novel therapeutics and biomarkers.

Military families are working to solve the "greatest challenge"—preventing veteran suicide—to commemorate Memorial Day this year. An average of 17 veterans died from suicide each day in 2020, according to a 2022 report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While this number has dropped in recent years, advocates say more work needs to be done to properly address mental health among veterans, whose experience overseas can cause lifelong challenges.

The trauma experienced by World War II veterans of D-Day left a lasting impact on their children at a time before post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was recognised, leaving families struggling to understand and cope with the psychological scars. Recent gatherings of experts in Normandy highlight both the enduring challenges and the resilience that was passed down through generations.

A comprehensive approach that examines the intersection of multiple biological processes is necessary to elucidate the development of stress-related disorders. In a new study, investigators from McLean Hospital, a member of the  Mass General Brigham healthcare system, working with colleagues at The University of Texas at Austin and Lieber Institute for Brain Development, uncovered both shared and distinct molecular changes across brain regions, genomic layers, cell types, and blood in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). These results, published May 24th in Science , could provide potential avenues for novel therapeutics and biomarkers.

Four years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are still suffering from one of the disease’s worst side effects — long COVID-19 and the debilitating brain fog it causes. Researchers at Rutgers University recently published one of the most detailed investigations into the symptom, looking at how and why it causes some people to experience difficulty thinking or concentrating. The researchers recruited a group of people who were seeking care at Rutgers for their COVID-19-related symptoms and followed them over the course of two years.

MDMA — the chemical found in the drug ecstasy — has appeared effective for treating PTSD in clinical trials. But there are concerns about the quality of the research. Later this summer, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide whether the chemical found in the drug ecstasy can be used as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. FDA approval of MDMA would be a milestone for the movement to bring psychedelics into the mainstream of mental health care, but now there are questions about the research suggesting MDMA is effective for PTSD. 

Some Army units will soon offer troops suicide prevention training on virtual reality headsets that transport the soldier inside the home of a peer in crisis with Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer coaching them through the scenario. The experience is realistic and brings an “emotional edge” to the training, Weimer said during a recent interview about the technology that the Army began using last year to teach troops how to prevent sexual misconduct.