Objectif. L’enquête Santé mentale en Population Générale a été réalisée, en 2003, par le centre collaborateur de l’OMS (CCOMS-Lille) en partenariat avec l’hôpital psychiatrique Mahfoud Boucebci (EHS-Alger). Les données portant sur le risque suicidaire sont exploitées dans le présent travail. Son objectif principal est d’étudier la relation entre le trouble de stress post-traumatique et le risque suicidaire. Méthode. Huit cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf sujets vivant en Algérie (n=899) ont participé à cette enquête. Le Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) a été utilisé afin de recueillir des données relatives aux troubles mentaux. Résultats. 61 % de la population (n=548) a été exposée à des événements potentiellement « traumatisants ». La prévalence du PTSD est estimée à 13,5 % (n=121) dans l’échantillon global. 13,6 % des sujets (n=122) présentent un risque suicidaire. Aucune relation directe entre le PTSD et le risque suicidaire n’a été observée. Toutefois, le PTSD augmente significativement le risque suicidaire chez les non-pratiquants (OR=5.81 ; IC [1.948-17.328] ; p=0.001) en comparaison avec les sujets pratiquants. Le risque suicidaire est 10 fois plus élevé chez les sujets pratiquants souffrant de problème d’alcool (OR =10.26 ; IC [3.133-33.609] ; p<=0.0001). Conclusion. Cette première étude en population générale souligne la prévalence relativement élevée du risque suicidaire et de PTSD. La pratique religieuse est un élément protecteur contre les conduites suicidaires. Les résultats qui en découlent pourraient être exploités dans le but de fonder une démarche de prévention du risque suicidaire. / Objective. The Mental Health Survey on General Population was conducted in 2003 by the WHO collaborating centres in Lille (WHOCC-Lille) in partnership with the Mahfoud Boucebci psychiatric hospital (EHS-Alger). Data regarding suicidal risk are exploited in the present study. The main objective aims at studying the relationship between post traumatic stress disorder and suicidal risk.Method. Eight hundred ninety-nine subjects living in Algeria (n=899) took part in this survey. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to collect data related to mental disorders and suicidal behaviors. Results. 61% of the population (n=548) were exposed to « traumatic » events. PTSD prevalence is estimated to be 13.5% (n = 121) in the overall sample. 13.6% of the subjects (n = 122) present a suicidal risk. There is no direct relationship between PTSD and suicidal risk.However, PTSD significantly increases the suicidal risk in non-practising subjects (OR = 5.81, CI [1.948-17.328], p = 0.001) compared to practising subjects. Suicidal risk is 10 times higher in practising subjects suffering from alcohol problems (OR = 10.26, IC [3.133-33.609], p <= 0.0001). Conclusion. This first study in the general population highlights the relatively high prevalence of suicidal risk and PTSD. Religious practice is a protective element against suicidal behavior. These results could be exploited so that a preventive approach to suicidal risk can be put in place.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Exposure to severe trauma and resulting PTSD affects individuals of all ages, cultures and geographical areas. Epidemiological surveys reveal that approximately one third of the general population is exposed to a traumatic event at some point in their lives. From the people exposed to a traumatic event about 10% will develop PTSD. Compelling evidence further suggests that the PTSD prevalence in South Africa is even higher,especially among the youth, and has thus been identified as a significant public health concern. In order to adequately address the diverse effects of PTSD,reliable and valid instruments diagnosing PTSD are required. It is a further imperative that these instruments are adapted to the specific context in which they will be utilized. This study thus focused on assessing the psychometric properties (factorial validity and internal consistency) of the Child PTSD Checklist in a sample of treatment-seeking children adolescents in the Western Cape. For the purpose of this study secondary data from a larger, longitudinal study investigating PTSD in children and adolescents was utilized.The preliminary study employed a quantitative research design in order to obtain data from the participants. The sample comprised of 200 children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 18 years that were selected from the Youth Stress Clinic. In terms of the psychometric properties the scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency(Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three factor structure(anxiety and avoidance, anger and dissociation, depressive symptoms) which accounted for 41,96 % of the total variance. In conclusion, the Child PTSD Checklist appears to be a promising tool for assessing PTSD in trauma-exposed youth in clinic settings, however further studies are needed to address its broader utility.

L’objectif de cette thèse était d’étudier l’impact du traumatisme psychique sur la mémoire de façon transdisciplinaire pour mieux appréhender les liens qui associent mémoire, émotion et perception de soi. Premièrement, l’analyse textométrique des témoignages recueillis entre 1 semaine et 10 ans après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001 aux États-Unis, nous a permis de préciser les modifications du contenu des souvenirs émotionnels dans le temps. De plus, nos résultats suggèrent que le contenu des souvenirs et leur évolution temporelle sont modulés par l’intensité du ressenti émotionnel au moment de l’événement. Deuxièmement, nous avons développé et utilisé un nouvel outil de méta-analyse semi-automatique, LinkDisorder, associant analyse lexicale et neuroimagerie pour explorer les corrélats neuropsychologiques du trouble de stress post-traumatique (TSPT) chez l’adulte. Les résultats révèlent que, bien que les altérations du cortex préfrontal, de l’amygdale et de l’hippocampe, qui sous-tendent les déficits mnésiques et émotionnels soient au centre de la pathologie, les altérations du processus de récompense et du striatum pourraient expliquer l’anhédonie des patients. Troisièmement, l’approche en neuropsychologie et neuroimagerie de la perception de soi dans le TSPT pédiatrique nous a permis d’explorer les modifications cérébrales fonctionnelles associées à un stress traumatique survenant à une période essentielle au développement identitaire, l’adolescence. Notre étude suggère que le TSPT pédiatrique serait associé à des anomalies fonctionnelles précoces dans les régions impliquées dans la régulation émotionnelle et la mémoire lors du processus de référence à soi. / The main aim of this thesis was to study the impact of trauma on memory in a transdisciplinary way to better understand the relationships between memory, emotion and Self. Firstly, we used textometry to explore memories from 1 week to 10 years after the 9/11 attacks, and showed the progressive changes of the content of emotional memories over time. In addition, our results revealed that the intensity of the emotional response at the time of the event could modulate the content of memories and their change over time. Secondly, we developed and used a new method of automated meta-analysis, LinkDisorder, which combines lexical analyses and neuroimaging to explore neurocognitive correlates of adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our meta-analysis highlights that while PTSD is characterized by functional alterations in prefrontal, amygdala and hippocampal regions underlying memory and emotional deficits, dysfunction in reward processing and of the striatum may subtend anhedonia in patients. Thirdly, using neuropsychology and neuroimaging examinations of self-perception in pediatric PTSD, we explored brain changes occurring after a traumatic stress in adolescence, a core period of life for the development of identity. Our study suggests that pediatric PTSD is associated with early functional abnormalities in the regions involved in emotion regulation and memory during self-reference processing.

This autoethnographic account details the author's ongoing struggle with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how leisure was integral to his journey toward recovery. By showing the mental and emotional struggles of life with the disorder, this paper offers an alternative viewpoint from the traditional scientific studies of PTSD which bury soldier's voices under layers of analysis. The purpose of this paper is to deepen and expand an understanding of both combat-related PTSD and the power of leisure in an individual's recovery from combat trauma

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is classified as an anxiety disorder and the characteristic symptoms (re-experiencing, avoidance as well as numbing of general responsiveness and hyperarousal) of this disorder develop in response to a traumatic event. The disorder is characterised by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis abnormalities linked with changes in cortisol moreover, the hippocampus and cortex also play a role in the neurobiology. With regard to the neurochemistry of this disorder it is known that gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) is involved however, the precise role of GABA in PTSD and how stress changes GABA concentrations in the brain are still not fully understood. Another aspect regarding PTSD that has not been clearly defined is the treatment of PTSD. Classic anxiolytics such as diazepam is expected to relieve the anxiety linked with PTSD. Studies with this group of drugs have however not produced the concrete evidence needed to establish it as a treatment of choice for PTSD and subsequently other classes of drugs have been investigated as possible treatment options for PTSD. Among these is lamotrigine, which in a clinical study was found to be effective in alleviating symptoms of PTSD. Moreover, a possible pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship for each of these drugs has also not been elucidated. In order to elude on some of these uncertainties, an animal model of PTSD, time dependent sensitisation (TDS), was used. GABA levels in the rat hippocampus and frontal cortex were determined at two different time intervals following the TDS procedure (1 day and 7 days post re-stress). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical (EC) detection was used to determine gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) concentrations. To investigate the possible anxiolytic effects of diazepam and lamotrigine in this model, as well as a possible pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship for each drug, pharmacokinetic profiles for both drugs were established in order to find the times of peak and trough levels of each drug. Blood samples were collected at different time intervals after drug administration either from the tail vein of rats (lamotrigine) or directly from the heart (diazepam). Subsequently, drug concentrations at each time interval were determined by means of HPLC with ultraviolet (UV) detection. The behaviour of rats was analysed using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) at peak or trough concentrations of the drugs and this was performed after either acute administration of the drug, or after a 14 day chronic treatment regime. GABA levels in the hippocampus were not found to change statistically significantly in response to stress at either 1 day or 7 days post re-stress. In the frontal cortex, however, GABA levels increased in response to stress at 1 day post re-stress, with a statistically insignificant, but strong trend towards an increase, at 7 days post re-stress. With regard to the pharmacokinetic profiles, the peak concentration of diazepam was found to occur at 60 minutes, with lamotrigine's peak at 120 minutes. The behavioural studies indicated that acute treatment with diazepam 3 mg/kg resulted in a statistically significant increase in both ratio open arm entries and ratio time spent in the open arms at peak level of the drug. After acute treatment with diazepam 3 mg/kg a statistically significant decrease in ratio time spent in open arms was also found when the ratio time spent in open arms at peak level of the drug and the ratio time spent in open arms at trough level of the drug was compared. In response to chronic treatment with diazepam 3 mg/kg for 14 days, test animals exhibited an increase in the ratio open arm entries at trough level of the drug, with a statistically insignificant yet definite trend towards an increase at peak level. Acute treatment with lamotrigine 10 mg/kg resulted in no statistically significant change in EPM parameters. In response to chronic treatment, however, a statistically significant increase was found in ratio time spent in open arms at peak level of the drug, with a statistically insignificant trend towards an increase at trough level. From the results of this study, we may therefore conclude that GABA-levels in the brain are definitely affected, but in different ways, following TDS-stress. A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship between the drugs' levels and aversive behaviour could also be established. Furthermore it appears that more sustained anxiolytic effects are evident following chronic treatment with both drugs than with acute administration of these drugs. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Submitted by Fabricia Fialho Reginato (fabriciar) on 2015-08-28T22:49:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 RenataZancan.pdf: 353007 bytes, checksum: 31a58b0044f4158aacaf13e5e91683cb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-28T22:49:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RenataZancan.pdf: 353007 bytes, checksum: 31a58b0044f4158aacaf13e5e91683cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02 / Nenhuma / O câncer infantil é um conjunto de doenças caracterizadas pela proliferação descontrolada de células anormais. Apesar dos avanços da ciência e da medicina, fazendo com que a taxa de sobrevida chegue em média a 80%, a doença ainda é considerada ameaçadora e os tratamentos são dolorosos e invasivos. Esta experiência pode acarretar consequências psicológicas, dentre elas, o Transtorno de Estresse Pós-traumático (TEPT) ou a presença de sintomatologia do mesmo. Dessa forma, o objetivo dessa dissertação foi investigar a presença de TEPT em jovens sobreviventes de câncer infantil através de dois estudos, um de revisão sistemática e outro empírico. O estudo de revisão sistemática, apresentado na sessão 1, buscou investigar a presença e a prevalência de sintomas de TEPT em sobreviventes de câncer infantil, fatores associados ao transtorno e implicações clínicas. Identificaram-se índices de sintomas de TEPT mais altos nos sobreviventes quando comparados à população em geral. Variáveis como idade, idade no diagnóstico, sintomas de TEPT nos pais e crenças sobre saúde e doença foram associadas ao TEPT. Destacou-se a necessidade de intervenções clínicas específicas para esta população. O estudo empírico, apresentado na sessão 2, foi realizado com 65 adultos e adolescentes, com idade média de 19 anos, que haviam concluído o tratamento há pelo menos um ano em um hospital público de Porto Alegre. O principal objetivo foi investigar a presença de sintomas de estresse pós-traumático e sua relação com a percepção sobre a doença nesses pacientes sobreviventes. Examinou-se também a relação dos sintomas de TEPT com variáveis clínicas e sociodemográficas. Foram aplicados os questionários IPQR-H – Revised Illness Perception Questionaire for Healthy People , para avaliar a percepção sobre a doença, o PCL-C- PTSK Checklist – Civilian Version e SPTSS-Screen for Post -traumatic stress symptoms, para transtorno de estresse pós-traumático e um questionário de dados clínicos e sociodemográficos. Os índices de sintomatologia de TEPT variaram de 9,2% a 18,5% na amostra, não havendo diferenças significativas entre homens e mulheres. Correlações significativas foram encontradas entre sintomas de TEPT e algumas dimensões da percepção sobre a doença. Não foram encontradas associações significativas entre variáveis clínicas e sociodemográficas e sintomas de TEPT. A percepção sobre a doença foi preditora de sintomatologia de TEPT em sobreviventes de câncer infantil. Assim, identificou-se que a percepção sobre a doença deve ser investigada em sobreviventes de câncer infantil para atuar na prevenção e no tratamento de sintomas de TEPT nesses pacientes. Destaca-se a importância do acompanhamento psicológico durante todo o tratamento e após o término do tratamento, durante o período necessário para readaptação desses pacientes a vida social. / Childhood cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells. Despite advances in science and medicine, making the survival rate reaches 80% on average, the disease is still considered threatening, and the treatments are painful and invasive. This experience can lead to psychological consequences, among them Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or the presence of its symptoms. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to investigate the presence of PTSD symptoms in young survivors of childhood cancer through two studies, one systematic review and one empirical. The systematic review study, presented in session 1, attempted to investigate the presence and prevalence of PTSD symptoms in childhood cancer survivors, factors associated with the disorder and clinical implications. Higher indices of PTSD symptoms were identified when compared to general population. Variables as age, age at diagnosis, PTSD symptoms in parents and beliefs about health and illness were associated with PTSD. We pointed out the need for specific clinical interventions for this population. The empirical study presented in session 2 was conducted with 65 adults and adolescents with the mean age of 19, who had completed the treatment, at least one year before, in a public hospital in Porto Alegre. The main objective was to investigate the presence of PTSD symptoms and its relation to illness perception in these survivor patients. It also examined the relationship between the PTSD symptoms and the clinical and sociodemographic variables. Questionnaires were IPQR-H – Revised Illnes Perception Questionnaire for Healthy People, to assess the perception of the disease, the PCL-C-PTSK checklist – Civilian Version and SPTSS- Screen for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and a questionnaire of clinical and sociodemographic date. The rates of PTSD symptoms ranged 9.2% to 18.5% in the sample, with no significant differences between men and women. Significant correlations were found between PTSD symptoms and some dimensions of illness perception. No significant associations were found between clinical and sociodemographic variables and PTSD symptoms. The illness perception was a predictor of PTSD symptoms in survivors of childhood cancer. Thus, we identified that the illness perception should be investigated in childhood cancer survivors in order to act in the prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms in these patients. We highlight the importance of psychological counseling throughout the treatment and after the treatment during the period required for rehabilitation of these patients social life.

O proposito deste estudo e avaliar o impacto psicologico da vivencia hospitalar de individuos que sofrem complicacoes pos-operatoria, partindo do pressuposto de que a intercorrencia agrava o quadro clinico com repercussoes na esfera psiquica destes pacientes. Teoricamente enfoca a evolucao do conceito de trauma na teoria freudiana, partindo do desamparo primordial (hilflosigkeit) ate a nova concepcao de angustia, levando em consideracao o fator economico, a nocao de a posteriori (nachträglichkeit) e a compulsao a repeticao. Com o intuito de ampliar a compreensao do fenomeno, o estudo percorre a etiologia do trauma para outros teoricos: Sandor Ferenczi, sobre o narcisismo da doenca; Donald W. Winnicott, que correlaciona o trauma a vivencia do fracasso do ambiente, a imprevisibilidade, ao excesso de tempo de exposicao a situacao desorganizadora, e a elevacao do nivel de dependencia. A constancia desta situacao leva ao que Maksud Khan nomeou de trauma cumulativo. A hipotese e a de que esta experiencia hospitalar pode promover um trauma psiquico, na medida em que o individuo se ve diante de uma situacao imprevisivel, que pode lhe causar transbordamento emocional pelo estado de desamparo, impotencia e risco da perda de sua integridade fisica -, que inibe uma elaboracao psiquica. Apos a alta hospitalar tais fatores podem, ainda, desencadear efeitos pos-traumaticos, acarretando-lhe, assim, uma dificuldade adaptativa. Para Moty Benyakar isto significa que o evento disruptivo pode promover um vivenciar traumatico dado a magnitude do impacto no psiquismo. Metodologicamente, para melhor compreensao do processo psiquico, faz-se um estudo longitudinal, de seis sujeitos, iniciando enquanto estes se encontram hospitalizados (situacao potencialmente traumatica), tres e seis meses apos a alta hospitalar. Na aplicacao do metodo qualitativo o estudo baseia-se na coleta de dados com entrevistas e na aplicacao reduzida da tecnica projetiva do TAT (Thematic Apperception Test). Pelo metodo quantitativo os pacientes sao submetidos a aplicacao da escala de avaliacao do transtorno de estresse pos-traumatico (CAPS Clinician Administred PTDS Scale). Esta pesquisa foi realizada em Hospital Escola de Universidade Publica, apos a aprovacao do Comite de Etica desta instituicao e do Comite de Etica para Seres Humanos do Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo. Atraves dos resultados obtidos na pesquisa pode-se constatar que ha uma relacao direta entre o evento e os seus efeitos no psiquismo. Pelo proprio carater disruptivo da instituicao hospitalar, dos encargos dos problemas de saude e do entorno (familiar, socioeconomico) o individuo vivencia uma vulnerabilidade fisica e psiquica. Contudo constatou-se que a dimensao da repercussao psiquica esta diretamente associada ao quadro clinico dos pesquisados, e ao tempo que ficam expostos a situacao potencialmente traumatica. Sendo este um fator fundamental na incidencia dos sintomas do Transtorno de Estresse Pos-traumatico. Com base neste estudo psicologico das complicacoes pos-operatorias, espera-se possibilitar aos profissionais de saude um novo olhar ao promover sua conscientizacao sobre problemas advindos desta experiencia, nao so aos individuos como, tambem, aos familiares, levantando a possibilidade de, se necessario, recorrerem a uma assistencia psicologica e/ou psiquiatrica / The objective of this study is to assess the psychological impact in subjects who stay in hospital after suffering from post-operative complications, on the assumption that the clinical picture gets worse causing troubles in the psychic area of these patients. Theoretically it focuses the evolution of the concept of trauma according to Freudian theory, since the primordial abandonment (hilflosigkeit) up to the new concept of distress, considering the economical situation, the concept of a posteriori (nachtraglichkeit) and the repetition compulsion. Aiming to offer a deeper understanding of the phenomenon, the study works with the etiology of trauma by other theorists: Sandor Ferenczi, about the narcissism of the disorder; Donald W. Winnicott, who relates the trauma to the experience of the environment failure, the unpredictability, the length of time facing a disordering situation, and the raising in dependence level. The constancy of this situation leads to what Maksud Khan called as cumulative trauma. The hypothesis is that in-hospital experience might provide a psychic trauma in so far as the subject has faced an unpredictable situation that might cause an overflow of emotions feeling abandoned, powerless and at the risk of losing physical integrity -, inhibiting a psychic elaboration. After having been discharged from hospital, such factors might also trigger post traumatic effects, implying into an adapting difficulty. According to Moty Benyakar, the disruptive event might provide a traumatic experience due to the great impact in the psychism. Methodologically for a better understanding of the psychic process, a longitudinal study has been made, with a number x of subjects, starting while they are in hospital (a potentially traumatic situation), from three to six months after they had been discharged from hospital. Applying the qualitative method the study has been based on the data collected through interviews and in the reduced application of the projective technique of TAT ( Thematic Apperception Test). Through the quantitative method the patients have been submitted to the application of the evaluation scale on the post-traumatic stress disorder (CAPS - Clinician Administered PTDS Scale). This research was carried out at the Hospital Escola da Universidade Publica, after the approval of the Comite de Etica ( Ethics Committee) of this institution and the Comite de Etica para Seres Humanos ( Ethics Committee for Human Beings) of the Instituto de Psicologia (Psychology Institute) of Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP). Through the results provided by the research, it was observed that there is a direct relation between the event and the effects in the psychism. For the own disruptive aspect in hospital, the burdens of health disorders and other surroundings ( familiar, socio- economic problems), the subject lives in a physical and psychic vulnerability. However it was pointed out that the dimension of the psychic repercussion is directly linked to the clinical picture of the six subjects who are studied, and the length of time that they have been exposed to the potentially traumatic situation. And this factor is extremely important in the incidence of the symptoms of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This psychological study of the post- traumatic surgery complications is meant to bring to health professionals much more awareness about the problems that come after this experience, not only for the subjects as well as to the relatives, who should be allowed to require, whenever necessary, some psychological and/or psychiatric treatment

Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This thesis presents an eclectic mix of studies which consider laterality in the context of previous findings of increased prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in male combat veterans with non-consistent right hand preference. Two studies extend these findings not just to civilian populations and women, but to left handers and find that left, rather than mixed, handedness is associated with increased prevalence of PTSD in both general population and clinical samples, and to severity of symptoms in the former. To examine issues relevant to the fear response in healthy populations, a movie excerpt is shown to be theoretically likely to target the emotion of fear and to generate subjective and physiological (skin conductance) responses of fear. The film is used as a laboratory analogue of fear to examine possible differences in left and right handers in memory (for events of the film) and in an emotional Stroop paradigm known to produce a robust and large effect specifically in PTSD. According to predictions based on lateralisation of functions in the brain relevant to the fear response, left handers show a pattern of enhanced memory for visual items and poorer memory for verbal material compared to right handers. Immediately after viewing the film, left handers show an interference effect on the Stroop paradigm to general threat and film words and increased response latency compared to right handers, approaching performance of previously reported clinical samples with PTSD. A novel non-word Stroop task fails to show these effects, consistent both with accounts of interference as language processing effects and compromised verbal processing in PTSD. Unexpected inferior performance of females in memory for the film, contrary to previous literature, may also be amenable to explanations invoking compromised left hemisphere language functions in fear situations. In testing one theory of left handedness as due to increased levels of in utero testosterone, the 2D:4D (second to fourth digit ratio) provides mixed evidence in two samples. A possible association of more female-like digit ratios in males with PTSD is a tentative finding possibly relevant to sex differences in prevalence of PTSD. A critique of existing and inadequate theoretical accounts of handedness concludes the thesis and proposes a modification of the birth stress hypothesis to one specifically considering peri-natal trauma to account for the above findings. This hypothesis remains to be empirically tested.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may result from an exposure to a severely traumatic life-event. It is characterised by a delayed onset of psychological and physical symptoms including re-experiencing the event, avoidance of reminders associated with the trauma, increased autonomic arousal and distinct memory deficits. This disorder is also characterised by a maladaptive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis response and altered monoamine concentrations in the hippocampus and pre-frontal cortex. The Time Dependent Sensitization (TDS) model is a putative animal model of PTSD that is based on the concept of repeated trauma, using three acute stressors (TS) of intense severity followed by a mild situational reminder (RS) on day 7 subsequent to the acute stressors. The aims of this study were to determine if the Triple Stressor (TS) induces stress and if the situational reminder (RS) is necessary for the maintenance of the stress response over time and whether these two stress responses are qualitatively and quantitively different. This was done to further validate the TDS model and to characterize the development and progression of the stress-related pathology of PTSD. Methods used were High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection (biochemical correlates) for quantifying the monoamines dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) concentrations in the hippocampus and pre-frontal cortex (PFC); radio immuno assay (RIA) for the determination of plasma corticosterone concentrations (neuroendocrine parameter) and the use of the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) to detect anxiety-like behaviour (behavioural analyses). The study was subdivided into an Acute and Re-Stress study (n = 10). In the Acute Study rats were exposed to TS as the only stressor. Group 1 was sacrificed immediately after TS, Group 2 was sacrificed 3 days post TS and Group 3 on day 7 post TS. In the Re-Stress Study both TS and RS were used as stressors. Group 4 was sacrificed immediately after the situational reminder, Group 5 was sacrificed 3 days post RS and Group 6 on day 7 post RS. A group of unstressed rats were used as Control. The results of this study found corticosterone concentrations elevated immediately after the TS (p<0.05). Exposure to the RS resulted in a profound hypocortisolism (p<0.05). These results indicate a possible disturbance in the regulation of the HPA-axis, which manifests as an enhanced negative feed-back upon re-introduction of the stressful situation. Changes in MA concentrations were evident. Although no definite fixed trend is apparent in this study, it is evident that the TDS model does induce monoamine dysregulation. Hippocampal NA. DA and 5-HT concentrations were noted to be elevated on day 7 post TS (p<0.05). On day 7 post RS only hippocampal 5HT was decreased significantly (p<0.05). Behavioural analyses indicate that stress related anxiety was not sustained after the TS but 7 days after the exposure to the RS rats were most anxious (p<0.05). The results confirm that the TDS model does induce PTSD-like symptoms in rats and that the situational reminder (RS) is necessary for the maintenance of the stress response. This model may be useful in the investigation of future experimental pharmacological interventions in the management of PTSD. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.