Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Basic Science and Clinical Practice by Priyattam J. Shiromani (Editor), Terence M. Keane (Editor), Joseph E. Ledoux (Editor)

From the Publisher

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric illness that can occur in anyone who has experienced a life-threatening or violent event. The trauma can be due to war, terrorism, torture, natural disasters, violence, or rape. In PTSD the brain areas that are likely to be affected are the hippocampus (memory), amygdala (fear association), the prefrontal cortex (cognitive processing), and the ascending reticular activating system (arousal). The chemical of interest is norepinephrine, which is released during a stressful event and is part of the fight-or-flight response meant to mobilize the body to action.The objective of this title is to outline the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder and provide treatment strategies for clinicians. The chapter material from this book has evolved from a seminar on PTSD held recently under the auspices of the VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston University Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. We propose a book that will focus on the epidemiology, neurobiology, MRI studies, animal models, arousal and sleep issues, clinical trials, and treatment strategies for clinicians. Treatment will cover such topics as guidelines for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD and the use of mental health services, cognitive intervention therapy, and large scale clinical trials in PTSD. This collection will be a vital source of information to clinicians and neuroscientists.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Steven T. Herron, MD (University of Arizona Health Sciences Center)
Description:Intended as an update on the most current knowledge and understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , this book uses a variety of authors to review various aspects of the diagnosis, physiology, neurobiology, evaluation, and treatment of PTSD.
Purpose:Given the dynamic nature of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, this work was composed to allow experts in the field the opportunity to comment on the degree to which knowledge specific to PTSD has advanced in the last few years.
Audience:The authors state that the book "is an invaluable resource for all clinicians and neuroscientists concerned with the condition."
Features:Beginning with the basics and progressing through many of the more complex ideas associated with PTSD, including neurobiology and neuroimaging of the disorder, each chapter addresses an aspect of the disorder in great detail. Chapters end with an extensive list of current and relevant references, and numerous illustrations, diagrams, and figures (some in color) highlight salient features of the discussions.
Assessment:Addressing the nuts and bolts of a psychiatric disorder, this book helps readers understand many of the complexities of PTSD with the assistance of leading experts in the field. It is well written, and the diagrams and illustrations provide appropriate visual representations of the important major points. The chapters regarding the treatments (pharmacologic, as well as psychotherapeutic) for PTSD are the most useful for clinicians, though the remainder of the work isjust as interesting and thought provoking. Though the book has some stylistic shortcomings (i.e., a small font, plain layout, and some small and occasionally blurry images) , they are not enough to distract readers from the valuable content. With knowledge regarding PTSD changing rapidly, this worthy effort offers a solid foundation.

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Table of Contents