Nerve Stimulation Offers Hope for PTSD Sufferers

The Crux
By Ben Thomas
Feb 3, 2016 10:02 PMNov 20, 2019 12:45 AM
ron-and-andy-1024x788.jpg

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Ron Ramirez, a retired Army sergeant is participating in the second phase study investigating the effectiveness of external trigeminal nerve stimulation for veterans with PTSD. Andrew Leuchter is conducting the research as at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. (Credit: Reed Hutchinson/CalFoto/UCLA) Millions of people are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) right now. Among military personnel who've been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, an estimated 31 percent are PTSD sufferers. An estimated 52 percent of people with PTSD also suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD). The cost of treating these disorders is estimated to run as high as $40 billion per year. The social consequences are harder to quantify, but many PTSD and MDD sufferers report marital problems, difficulties bonding with family and friends, and chronic suicidal thoughts. But a team of researchers led by Andrew Leuchter, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA, believes it has found a new treatment for PTSD and MDD. It’s not a new drug or a new form of psychotherapy. It’s a form of electronic nerve stimulation.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.