Publications by authors named "C Lewandowski"
Background: Chronic pain following traumatic stress exposure (TSE) is common. Increasing evidence suggests inflammatory/immune mechanisms are induced by TSE, play a key role in the recovery process versus development of post-TSE chronic pain, and are sex specific. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with chronic pain after TSE in a sex-specific manner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSocial Buffering of PTSD: Longitudinal Effects and Neural Mediators.
Justin L C Santos Nathaniel G Harnett Sanne J H van Rooij Timothy D Ely Tanja Jovanovic Christopher Lewandowski
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates how early social support after trauma affects PTSD symptoms over time and explores specific brain regions involved in this process, such as the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
- Using data from 315 participants in the AURORA study, researchers measured PTSD symptoms and perceived emotional support at multiple time points, while also conducting neuroimaging two weeks post-trauma.
- The results show that early emotional support is linked to changes in white matter connectivity between key brain areas, but it also highlighted unexpected increased threat reactivity in the default mode network, suggesting complex neural pathways in response to social threats.
Article Synopsis
- - The study explored the use of wrist-wearable devices to track heart rate variability (HRV) as potential biomarkers for recovery from adverse neuropsychiatric effects following traumatic events, specifically in a socioeconomically disadvantaged group.
- - Researchers monitored participants within 72 hours of a traumatic event and over a course of 6 months, validating HRV characteristics linked to various posttraumatic symptoms, such as pain, re-experiencing, and anxiety.
- - The findings indicate that changes in HRV could effectively predict improvements or worsening in symptoms, suggesting that these wearable technologies could serve as useful screening tools for identifying posttraumatic stress in high-risk populations.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates sex/gender differences in PTSD by examining 16 risk factors and their impact on PTSD severity in a group of 2,924 acutely traumatized individuals.
- - It finds that six risk factors are more prevalent in women, while none are more pronounced in men, highlighting unique pathways contributing to PTSD severity based on sex assigned at birth.
- - The results indicate different risk mechanisms for men and women, suggesting that understanding these differences can help develop targeted mental health interventions and inform future research on other mental disorders.
Reward Neurocircuitry Predicts Longitudinal Changes in Alcohol Use Following Trauma Exposure.
Cecilia A Hinojosa Sanne J H van Rooij Negar Fani Robyn A Ellis Nathaniel G Harnett Christopher Lewandowski
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Trauma can increase the risk of unhealthy alcohol use, and this study investigates how brain reward systems change after trauma exposure in humans.
- The research involved 286 participants who were assessed for changes in alcohol use and brain activity through fMRI shortly after experiencing trauma.
- Findings suggest that heightened brain activity in specific regions (like the VTA) and altered connections between brain areas may lead to increased alcohol consumption following traumatic events, indicating potential targets for early intervention.