Procedure-Oriented Torsional Anatomy of the Hand for Spasticity Injection.

Objectives: To provide musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) images of hand anatomy in the position of hemiparetic flexion as a reference for spasticity injections. After a stroke, spasticity can result in anatomic distortion of the hand. Spasticity may require treatment with botulinum toxin or phenol injections.

Procedure Oriented Torsional Anatomy of the Forearm for Spasticity Injection.

Unlabelled: : This is the second in a series of articles related to the concept of "torsional" anatomy. The objective of this article is to provide musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) anatomy of the forearm in the position of hemispastic flexion as a reference relevant to needle procedures.

Methods: The MSKUS images were obtained in a healthy human subject.

A Comparison of Sleep Difficulties among Iraq/Afghanistan Theater Veterans with and without Mental Health Diagnoses.

Study Objectives: Sleep disturbance is among the most common complaints of veterans and military personnel who deployed to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. A growing body of research has examined cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between sleep disturbance and mental health symptoms and specific diagnoses in this population. However, prior research has not examined these relationships in terms of the presence or absence of any mental health diagnosis.

Establishing a methodology to examine the effects of war-zone PTSD on the family: the family foundations study.

Military deployment may adversely affect not only returning veterans, but their families, as well. As a result, researchers have increasingly focused on identifying risk and protective factors for successful family adaptation to war-zone deployment, re-integration of the returning veteran, and the longer-term psychosocial consequences of deployment experienced by some veterans and families. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among returning veterans may pose particular challenges to military and military veteran families; however, questions remain regarding the impact of the course of veteran PTSD and other potential moderating factors on family adaptation to military deployment.

Drug use and childhood-, military- and post-military trauma exposure among women and men veterans.

Background: The current study was undertaken to examine whether posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depressive symptoms mediated the association between trauma exposure (combat-related trauma and non-combat traumas occurring before, during, and after military service), and drug abuse symptoms use among male and female veterans.

Methods: Participants were 2304 (1851 male, 453 female) veterans who took part in a multi-site research study conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 6 MIRECC). Path analytic models were used to determine the association between problematic past-year drug use and combat-related and non-combat trauma experienced before, during, or after the military and whether current post-traumatic stress symptoms or depressive symptoms mediated these associations.

Procedure-oriented torsional anatomy of the proximal arm for spasticity injection.

Unlabelled: This is the first in a series of papers related to the new concept of "torsional" anatomy. The objective of this article is to provide musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) anatomy of the upper arm in the position of hemispastic flexion as a reference relevant to needle procedures.

Methods: The MSKUS images were obtained in a healthy human subject.

Procedure-oriented sectional anatomy of the foot.

This is the seventh and last in a series of studies related to procedure-oriented joint anatomy. This article reviews the anatomy of the foot and its relationship to procedures in the clinical setting with or without ultrasound guidance. Anatomically correct axial schematics allow injections to be envisioned relative to clinically important anatomy for common forefoot procedures.

Systematic review of women veterans' mental health.

Background: Given recent, rapid growth in the field of women veterans' mental health, the goal of this review was to update the status of women veterans' mental health research and to identify current themes in this literature. The scope of this review included women veterans' unique mental health needs, as well as gender differences in veterans' mental health needs.

Methods: Database searches were conducted for relevant articles published between January 2008 and July 2011.

Procedure-oriented sectional anatomy of the ankle.

This is the sixth in a series of articles related to procedure-oriented joint anatomy. This article reviews the anatomy of the ankle and its relationship to procedures in the clinical setting with or without ultrasound guidance. Anatomically correct axial and oblique axial schematics allow injections to be envisioned relative to clinically important anatomy for common ankle procedures.

The impact of social support on psychological distress for U.S. Afghanistan/Iraq era veterans with PTSD and other psychiatric diagnoses.

This study aimed to examine the degree to which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the relationship between social support and psychological distress for U.S. Afghanistan/Iraq era veterans with and without co-occurring psychiatric disorders.

Procedure-oriented sectional anatomy of the knee.

This is the fifth in a series of articles related to procedure-oriented joint anatomy. This article reviews the anatomy of the knee and its relationship to procedures in the clinical setting with or without ultrasound/electromyographic guidance. Anatomically correct axial schematics allow injections to be envisioned relative to clinically important anatomy for common knee procedures.

Procedure-oriented sectional anatomy of the hip.

This is the fourth in a series of articles related to procedure-oriented joint anatomy. This article reviews the anatomy of the hip and its relationship to procedures in the clinical setting with or without imaging guidance. Anatomically correct axial and coronal schematics allow injections to be envisioned relative to clinically important anatomy for common hip procedures.

Lifetime major depression and comorbid disorders among current-era women veterans.

Background: Most research on women veterans' mental health has focused on postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or reactions to military sexual trauma. Although depression is also a frequent diagnosis among women veterans, little is known about its characteristics, including comorbid conditions and patterns of disorder onset. We investigated lifetime diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD) and comorbid conditions in a primarily treatment-seeking research sample of male and female veterans to determine frequency of lifetime MDD, comorbid disorders and their temporal onset.

Self-report and longitudinal predictors of violence in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans.

This study, using a longitudinal design, attempted to identify whether self-reported problems with violence were empirically associated with future violent behavior among Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and whether and how collateral informant interviews enhanced the risk assessment process. Data were gathered from N = 300 participants (n = 150 dyads of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and family/friends). The veterans completed baseline and follow-up interviews 3 years later on average, and family/friends provided collateral data on dependent measures at follow-up.

Alcohol use and trauma exposure among male and female veterans before, during, and after military service.

Background: The present study examined lifespan and combat-related trauma exposure as predictors of alcohol use among male and female veterans. Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms were examined as mediators of the effects of trauma exposure on alcohol use.

Methods: Data were examined from 1825 (1450 male, 375 female) veterans and active duty service members who took part in a multi-site research study conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 6 MIRECC).

Self-reported pain complaints among Afghanistan/Iraq era men and women veterans with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder.

Objective: Research has shown significant rates of comorbidity among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and pain in prior era veterans but less is known about these disorders in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans. This study seeks to extend previous work by evaluating the association among PTSD, MDD, and pain (back, muscle, and headache pain) in this cohort.

Method: A sample of 1,614 veterans, recruited from 2005 to 2010, completed a structured clinical interview and questionnaires assessing trauma experiences, PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and pain endorsement.

The effect of draft DSM-V criteria on posttraumatic stress disorder prevalence.

Background: This study was designed to examine the concordance of proposed DSM-V posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria with DSM-IV classification rules and examine the impact of the proposed DSM-V PTSD criteria on prevalence.

Method: The sample (N = 185) included participants who were recruited for studies focused on trauma and health conducted at an academic medical center and VA medical center in the southeastern United States. The prevalence and concordance between DSM-IV and the proposed DSM-V classifications were calculated based on results from structured clinical interviews.

Adverse impact of coercive treatments on psychiatric inpatients' satisfaction with care.

Consumers' satisfaction with inpatient mental health care is recognized as a key quality indicator that prospectively predicts functional and clinical outcomes. Coercive treatment experience is a frequently cited source of dissatisfaction with inpatient care, yet more research is needed to understand the factors that influence consumers' perceptions of coercion and its effects on satisfaction, including potential "downstream" effects of past coercive events on current treatment satisfaction. The current study examined associations between objective and subjective indices of coercive treatments and patients' satisfaction with care in a psychiatric inpatient sample (N = 240).

Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support.

Objective: This study examined the relationship among childhood trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and adult social support in a large sample of veterans who served in the military after 09/11/2001, with a specific focus on the potential role of the PTSD avoidance and numbing cluster as intervening in the association between childhood abuse and adult functional social support.

Method: Participants were 1,301 veterans and active duty soldiers who have served in the military since 09/11/2001; a subsample of these participants (n=482) completed an inventory of current functional social support. Analyses included linear regression and nonparametric bootstrapping procedures.

Sex, ADHD symptoms, and smoking outcomes: an integrative model.

Both females and individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been found to be at increased risk for a range of smoking outcomes, and recent empirical findings have suggested that women with ADHD may be particularly vulnerable to nicotine dependence. On a neurobiological level, the dopamine reward processing system may be implicated in the potentially unique interaction of nicotine with sex and with ADHD status. Specifically, nicotine appears to mitigate core ADHD symptoms through interaction with the dopamine reward processing system, and ovarian hormones have been found to interact with nicotine within the dopamine reward processing system to affect neurotransmitter release and functioning.

Meta-analysis of neuropsychological functioning in euthymic bipolar disorder: an update and investigation of moderator variables.

Objectives: Cognitive impairment is frequently observed among individuals with bipolar disorder during acute and euthymic phases of the illness. The purpose of this study was to provide an updated meta-analysis on the neuropsychological functioning of euthymic bipolar disorder individuals and to explore study design, demographic, and clinical variables that could moderate observed effects.

Methods: Searches were conducted on Medline and PsychInfo databases and 28 studies were selected that met inclusion criteria.

Behavioral health conditions among military personnel and veterans: prevalence and best practices for treatment.

The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs place a high priority on behavioral health assessment, treatment, and research. We present the national and regional prevalence of the most-common behavioral health problems experienced by Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and offer resources for best practices for treatment.