Understanding the psychological state of first responders who were at the 9/11 World Trade Center attack is crucial as they continue to experience conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers at Stony Brook University led a pilot study to explore a potential link between chronic PTSD and neurodegeneration. They studied 34 responders, half of whom are diagnosed with PTSD, and found that the responders who have PTSD displayed neuronal alterations in their blood, which are often signs of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. These findings are preliminary, but prove important enough to replicate the study in this population.
Stony Brook University is a member of NYSERNet’s R&E network. Read more about the study here: https://news.stonybrook.edu/sb_medicine/ptsd-in-9-11-responders-linked-to-alzheimers/