Summary
The PTSD Research laboratory is a part of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroscience Division and occupies laboratory space on the fourth floor of MGH-East at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The laboratory's mission is to perform state-of-the-art psychobiological research into the assessment, pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The laboratory does not provide treatment services itself but can make appropriate referrals to providers within and outside MGH. In particular, the MGH Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, directed by Mark Pollack, MD, conducts clinical services and conducts complementary clinical research in this domain.
The laboratory is presently conducting the following federally funded studies:
- Positron emission tomographic study of cerebral blood flow during traumatic mental imagery in PTSD (R.K. Pitman, Principal Investigator). The major goal of this study is to evaluate which regions of the brain are selectively activated during traumatic re-experiencing.
- Secondary prevention of PTSD with propranolol (R.K. Pitman, Principal Investigator). The major goal of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of the beta-adrengergic blocker propranolol in preventing the development of PTSD in persons presenting to the MGH Emergency Department following a traumatic experience.
- Prospective psychophysiologic study of risk for PTSD (S.P Orr, Principal Investigator). The major goal of this project is to examine a promising set of pre-trauma psychophysiologic, endocrinologic, and psychometric measures for their ability to predict the occurrence of PTSD following exposure to traumatic events in firefighter/EMT and police recruits.
Additional studies are in planning. The laboratory also provides consultation to other MGH faculty, residents, pre and post doctoral fellows, and students regarding PTSD research design and implementation.
Staff
Roger K. Pitman, MD
Laboratory Director
Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Publications by Dr. Pitman
Scott P. Orr, PhD
Associate Director
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Lisa Shin, PhD
(Independently funded to work with this group) |
Psychiatry Department Home Page
