Speaker 4: Stan Floresco, Canada

Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by the failure of the acute fear response to diminish after exposure to a lifethreatening traumatic event. Risk factors for PTSD include sex (female), education (less), and familial and genetic factors, as well as factors pertaining to the type and severity of trauma(s) experienced by the individual over time (including childhood maltreatment). The increased risk for PTSD when a traumatic event includes physical injury, particularly traumatic brain injury (TBI), is well recognized, and points to a role for certain brain circuits and systems in the pathogenesis of PTSD. In this presentation, Dr. Stein will review recent findings on brain imaging and genetic factors pertinent to the understanding of PTSD and related disorders. He will also review the evidence base for PTSD treatments.