PTSD affects childrens' DNA

Childhood trauma can lead to PTSD in adults, while also affecting them on a genetic level.

According to a study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, adults with PTSD who had a history of childhood trauma had a significantly shorter region of DNA proteins known as the telomere -- a region of repetitive DNA sequence at the end of a chromosome which protects the chromosome from deterioration. Previous studies have linked short telomere length with accelerated aging and a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other degenerative conditions.

The study examined a total of 90 people -- 47 with PTSD and 43 without. The subjects with PTSD were found to have an average telomere length shorter than that of the non-PTSD subjects.

Read more here:

Risk of Accelerated Aging Seen in PTSD Patients with Childhood Trauma

Veterans' agencies launch free PTSD Coach iPhone app

Got PTSD? There's an app for that.

Okay, now that I got that awful joke out of my head, here's the news: The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have teamed up to launch a free iPhone app called PTSD Coach. Intended specifically for people who are in or have served in the military, the app "provides users with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help users manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD."

You can find more info on the app here.

US soldiers 7 times as likely as UK troops to develop PTSD

Does culture impact how you react to trauma? The UK newspaper The Independent examines the possibility that PTSD is not a universal response:

The invisible division: US soldiers are seven times as likely as UK troops to develop post-traumatic stress - Americas, World - The Independent