Neurobehavioral Moderators of Post-traumatic Disease Trajectories

Neurobehavioral Moderators of Post-traumatic Disease Trajectories: Prospective MRI Study of Recent Trauma Survivors

The research goal is to uncover the neurocognitive moderators of PTSD trajectories, by documenting clinical symptoms, cognitive functioning, and brain structure and function, one-, six- and fourteen months following a traumatic event, in a large population of survivors at initial high risk for PTSD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 - 65 years
• Able to read and comprehend Hebrew
• Arrived in the ER because of one of the following: car accidents, terrorist attacks, work accidents, home accidents, burns, physical assault, large-scale disaster.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with known claustrophobia
• Individuals with history of substance abuse
• Individuals with current or past psychotic or bipolar I disorder
• Individuals with chronic PTSD at the time of the current trauma
• Individuals on psychotropic medication or recreational drugs in the week that precedes the MRI
• Individuals with hearing problems
• Individuals with head trauma with coma exceeding 30 minutes
• Individuals which can't perform MRI due to safety reasons (e.g. irremovable metals in their body)