Repeated exposure to traumatic experiences may put professional firefighters at increased risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To date, however, the rate of PTSD symptoms, unmet need for mental health treatment, and barriers to treatment have only been investigated in subsamples rather than the total population of firefighters. We conducted a nationwide, total population-based survey of all currently employed South Korean firefighters (n = 39,562). The overall response rate was 93.8% (n = 37,093), with 68.0% (n = 26,887) complete responses for all variables. The rate of current probable PTSD was estimated as 5.4%. Among those with current probable PTSD (n = 1,995), only a small proportion (9.7%) had received mental health treatment during the past month. For those who had not received treatment, perceived barriers of accessibility to treatment (29.3%) and concerns about potential stigma (33.8%) were reasons for not receiving treatment. Although those with higher PTSD symptom severity and functional impairment were more likely to seek treatment, greater symptom severity and functional impairment were most strongly associated with increased concerns about potential stigma. This nationwide study points to the need for new approaches to promote access to mental health treatment in professional firefighters.
Background Based on growing evidence of the crucial role of the cerebellum in emotional regulation, we sought to identify cerebellar structural deficits in a large sample of patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods Cerebellar gray matter density was examined in 49 BD patients (24 medication-naive and 25 medication-treated) and 50 carefully matched healthy individuals, using voxel-based morphometry with a high-resolution spatially unbiased atlas template of the human cerebellum. This recently developed methodology is specifically optimized for the assessment of cerebellar structures. We further explored whether antimanic treatment could attenuate cerebellar structural deficits. Results BD patients showed a greater reduction in gray matter density of the posterior cerebellar regions, including the bilateral vermi and the right crus relative to healthy individuals (corrected p < .05). A stepwise linear reduction in gray matter density was observed in bilateral vermal regions between healthy individuals, medication-treated, and medication-naive BD patients. Furthermore, positive correlations of longer duration of illness with bilateral vermal gray matter deficits were observed only in medication-naive BD patients, but not in patients with medication history. Limitations This study adopted a cross-sectional design. The automatic intensity-normalization method for the measurement of cerebellar gray matter density may have a limitation in providing detailed anatomical information at a cerebellar folia level. Conclusions The current findings suggest that BD-related deficits in the posterior cerebellar regions, which appear to progress over the course of illness, could potentially be ameliorated by proper treatment with mood stabilizers.
As the prevalence and life expectancy of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continue to increase, the importance of effective detection and intervention for the complications of T2DM, especially neurocognitive complications including cognitive dysfunction and dementia, is receiving greater attention. T2DM is thought to influence cognitive function through an as yet unclear mechanism that involves multiple factors such as hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and vascular disease. Recent developments in neuroimaging methods have led to the identification of potential neural correlates of T2DM-related neurocognitive changes, which extend from structural to functional and metabolite alterations in the brain. The evidence indicates various changes in the T2DM brain, including global and regional atrophy, white matter hyperintensity, altered functional connectivity, and changes in neurometabolite levels. Continued neuroimaging research is expected to further elucidate the underpinnings of cognitive decline in T2DM and allow better diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
The objective of this study was to develop a reliable method for the shape analysis of the amygdala, a structure that is important in gaining a better understanding of the limbic system in the human brain. The goal of this study was threefold; to develop (1) a robust method for aligning the contour of the amygdala; (2) a reproducible method for extracting surface parameters of the amygdala using a spherical mapping technique; and (3) a standardized approach for statistical assessment and visualization of shape alterations by applying the probabilistic maps of amygdalar subregions. This technique was validated by conducting an artificial phantom study and by assessing sex-related amygdalar shape differences using T1-weighted images from healthy volunteers. In the phantom study, the region with atrophy was detected successfully through the shape analysis process. In the human study, the average radii of the centromedial (CM) subregion in the left amygdala and laterobasal (LB), superficial (SF) and CM subregions in the right amygdala were different between sexes (t-tests, p = 0.02,0.04,0.04, and 0.002, respectively). In addition, focal regions with larger radii in amygdalae of men than those of women were found predominantly on the surfaces of bilateral SF and bilateral CM subregions, after the volumes of the amygdala had been scaled to the unit volume (1000mm3) (Mann-Whitney U-test, false discovery rate corrected p<0.05, clustered vertex points > 25). Regions with smaller radii in amygdalae of men were found predominantly on the anterior surfaces of the right LB and SF subregions (Mann-Whitney U-test, false discovery rate corrected p < 0.05, clustered vertex points > 25). This is generally in agreement with previous findings from animal studies. The current method may be used for measuring subtle local shape changes of the amygdala in various psychiatric or neurologic disorders.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.