Dysfunctional neuroplasticity in newly arrived Middle Eastern refugees in the U.S.: Association with environmental exposures and mental health symptoms.
Abstract
Psychological war trauma among displaced refugees is an established risk factor for mental health disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Persons with trauma-induced disorders have heightened neuroplastic restructuring of limbic brain circuits (e.g., amygdala and hippocampus), which are critical factors in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Civilians in war are exposed to both psychological trauma and environmental hazards, such as metals. Little is known about the possible mental health impact from such environmental exposures, alone or in combination with trauma. It is of special interest to determine whether war exposures contribute to dysfunctional neuroplasticity; that is, an adverse outcome from sustained stress contributing to mental health disorders. The current study examined Middle Eastern refugees in the United States to determine the relationships among pre-displacement trauma and environmental exposures, brain derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)-two neurotrophins reported to mediate neuroplasticity responses to stress-related exposures-and mental health. Middle Eastern refugees (n = 64; 33 men, 31 women) from Syria (n = 40) or Iraq (n = 24) were assessed 1 month af...Continue Reading
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Nurse-Reported Bullying and Documented Adverse Patient Events: An Exploratory Study in a US Hospital
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