title: Understanding and treating PTSD: past, present, and future.
abstract: After highlighting historical perspectives of posttraumatic stress symptoms, the authors describe PTSD's diagnostic features, frequent co-occurring symptoms and psychiatric disorders, and risk factors for developing this often chronic and disabling illness. In addition, they summarize research findings on the neurobiology of PTSD, including changes in neurotransmitters, hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic reactivity, and differences in brain structure and function. Finally, they present psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments, concluding that current clinical practice favors a combination of these two types of treatment, tailored to the patient's needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trautman
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs