Publications by authors named "Jean C Beckham"
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the biological differences linked to PTSD by examining DNA methylation changes in blood, suggesting they could indicate susceptibility or effects of trauma.
- Conducted by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, the research included nearly 5,100 participants to identify specific genetic markers associated with PTSD.
- Results showed 11 significant CpG sites related to PTSD, with some also showing correlations between blood and brain tissue methylation, highlighting their potential role in understanding PTSD biology.
Epigenetic measures of aging derived from DNA methylation are promising biomarkers associated with prospective morbidity and mortality, but require validation in real-world medical settings. Using data from 2,216 post-9/11 veterans, we examined whether accelerated DunedinPACE aging scores were associated with chronic disease morbidity, predicted healthcare costs, and mortality assessed over an average of 13.1 years of follow up in VA electronic health records.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic medical condition characterized by red blood cell sickling, vaso-occlusion, hemolytic anemia, and subsequently, end-organ damage and reduced survival. Because of this significant pathophysiology and early mortality, we hypothesized that patients with SCD are experiencing accelerated biological aging compared with individuals without SCD.
Methods: We utilized the DunedinPACE measure to compare the epigenetic pace of aging in 131 Black Americans with SCD to 1391 Black American veterans without SCD.
Importance: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) is the standard of care for treating insomnia disorder, but access is limited. Alternative approaches are needed to expand access to the standard of care.
Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a nurse-supported, self-directed behavioral insomnia intervention for decreasing insomnia severity and improving sleep outcomes among veterans, a population with considerable mental health comorbidity.
Tobacco-related deaths remain the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-about 11% of those receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-have triple the risk of developing tobacco use disorder (TUD). The most efficacious strategies being used at the VA for smoking cessation only result in a 23% abstinence rate, and veterans with PTSD only achieve a 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBehavioral activation for veterans with co-occurring alcohol use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: Basis and methodology for a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Contemp Clin Trials
November 2024
Background: Nearly 2 million U.S. veterans live with co-occurring alcohol use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (AUD/PTSD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and differences in DNA methylation, a type of gene regulation, in blood samples from individuals diagnosed with PTSD compared to trauma-exposed controls.
- Researchers conducted a large-scale analysis involving over 5,000 participants from various civilian and military studies, using standardized procedures for PTSD assessment and DNA methylation testing.
- The results revealed 11 specific DNA methylation sites associated with PTSD, and found similarities in methylation patterns between blood and brain tissues, suggesting a biological basis for the condition.
Article Synopsis
- PTSD genetics have been difficult to study compared to other psychiatric disorders, limiting our biological understanding of the condition.
- A large-scale meta-analysis involving over 1.2 million individuals identified 95 genome-wide significant loci, with 80 being new discoveries related to PTSD.
- Researchers identified 43 potential causal genes linked to neurotransmitter activity, developmental processes, synaptic function, and immune regulation, enhancing our knowledge of the neurobiological systems involved in PTSD.
Measures of epigenetic aging derived from DNA methylation (DNAm) have enabled the assessment of biological aging in new populations and cohorts. In the present study, we used an epigenetic measure of aging, DunedinPACE, to examine rates of aging across demographic groups in a sample of 2,309 United States military veterans from the VISN 6 MIRECC's Post-Deployment Mental Health Study. As assessed by DunedinPACE, female veterans were aging faster than male veterans (β = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with ischemic heart disease in women veterans, but evidence for associations with other cardiovascular disorders remains limited in this population. This retrospective longitudinal cohort study evaluated the association of PTSD with incident stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) in women veterans.
Methods And Results: Veterans Health Administration electronic health records were used to identify women veterans aged ≥18 years engaged with Veterans Health Administration health care from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2019.
Article Synopsis
- Cannabis use is rising among military veterans, leading to an increase in cannabis use disorder (CUD) particularly in those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- A study with 2,310 veterans found four specific DNA methylation sites (CpGs) associated with lifetime CUD, and one of these sites (cg05575921) remained significant even among non-smokers.
- CUD was shown to interact with current PTSD status, affecting DNA methylation levels, and there’s preliminary evidence that cg05575921 may explain the link between CUD and mood disorders in these veterans.
Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is prevalent among veterans, and excessive alcohol use is associated with significant mental and physical health consequences. Currently, the largest cohort of veterans seeking services at the VA are those from the 1990s Gulf War Era. This cohort of veterans is unique due to the nature of their deployment resulting in a myriad of unexplained symptoms collectively known as "Gulf War Illness" and higher rates of mental health problems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany interventions for cannabis use disorder (CUD) are associated with decreases in frequency and quantity of use but fail to increase overall rates of sustained abstinence. It is currently unknown whether reductions in use (in the absence of sustained abstinence) result in clinically significant improvements in functioning. The objective of this study was to refine a mobile contingency management approach to reduce cannabis use to ultimately evaluate whether reductions in frequency and quantity of cannabis are related to improvements in functional and mental health status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeople who experience trauma and develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for poor health. One mechanism that could explain this risk is accelerated biological aging, which is associated with the accumulation of chronic diseases, disability, and premature mortality. Using data from 2309 post-9/11 United States military veterans who participated in the VISN 6 MIRECC's Post-Deployment Mental Health Study, we tested whether PTSD and trauma exposure were associated with accelerated rate of biological aging, assessed using a validated DNA methylation (DNAm) measure of epigenetic aging-DunedinPACE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Gulf War I-era veterans participated in a national survey that gathered self-reported data on OSA and assessed their overall health, pain levels, and mental health conditions like depression and PTSD.
- * Results show that VA users are more likely to be diagnosed and treated for OSA, while those at higher risk for OSA report worse physical and mental health, highlighting the need for better screening, especially in non-VA settings.
Article Synopsis
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the top cause of death in the US, with women veterans experiencing higher mortality rates from cardiac disease compared to civilian women, highlighting the need for more research in this area.
- The study analyzed nearly two decades of data from the US Veterans Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to compare cardiac disease mortality trends among women veterans and civilian women.
- Findings showed that between 2000 and 2017, over 817,000 women veterans were treated, with around 19,000 deaths from cardiac disease, accounting for a significant portion of total deaths in this population.