Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Volunteers who decide to participants will need to sign and return the Consent Form prior to the commencement of the following sequential study procedures: Telephone Screen Upon receipt of a signed Consent Form the participants will be contacted by the research nurse who will conduct a telephone screen to check your initial eligibility for the study. This telephone screen will be carried out at a time convenient to you and will take approximately 30 minutes. During this telephone screen the research nurse will ask you questions relating to your current medications, previous history of any mental health condition, previous history of injuries to your head or neck and past medical history. Online Survey If the research nurse confirms that you meet the initial eligibility to continue in the study you will be asked to complete an online survey. This survey will be sent by email to you for you to complete. Your name will not appear on the survey it will be replaced with a unique participant number. This survey will ask you more in-depth questions about your previous medical history including any history of depression and/or anxiety, any drug and alcohol use, previous head injury and/or pain. You will be asked to complete the survey on your own and it is expected to take you approximately 30 minutes. The research nurse or study psychologist will contact you soon after you have completed the online survey to discuss any queries or concerns that may have arisen for you as a result. Psychological Assessment If you are confirmed to be eligible to continue to participate in the psychological assessment, an appointment will be made for you with the study’s clinical psychologist. In this study the researchers prefer this assessment to be carried out face-to-face, However, we recognise that this may not possible for all participants because of the distance they are from the study site. For participants who are unable to attend a face-to-face interview, which will be conducted in the Clinical Research Facility at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, than the clinical psychologist will conduct this assessment via Skype or telephone at an appointed time. The clinical psychologist will perform the psychological assessment using a structured interview process which includes the completion of questionnaires. The WebNeuro cognitive assessment that will be required to be complete online assesses your motor tapping, choice reaction time, verbal memory-recall and digit span. This assessment takes approximately 30 – 60 minutes to complete. If you are confirmed to be unsuitable to continue participation in the study during this assessment then the clinical psychologist will inform you of this either during or after your assessment. If you require further clinical follow up or require ongoing psychological support, the study psychologist will provide a written referral to your local doctor or alternatively refer you to the public mental health care system closest to you. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy If you are confirmed to be eligible to proceed on to have the imaging of your brain then the research nurse will arrange an appointment visit for you at one of the following facilities: - Herston Imaging Research Facility, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital campus, Bowen Bridge Road, Herston - Princess Alexandra Hospital Medical Imaging Department, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba - Hunter Medical Research Institute Imaging Centre, John Hunter Hospital campus Newcastle, Lookout Road, Newcastle During your visit to the imaging facility you will be required to undergo two non-invasive imaging procedures with a clinical scanner used for routine testing. Your two scan procedures will be done in a single visit on the same day with a short break in between. For the 1st MRS scan you will be require to lie in the scanner for approximately 40 minutes. During this scan images of your brain and information on its chemistry will be obtained. The 2nd MRI scan is a functional MRI and will assess the blood flow in different areas of your brain. This scan will take approximately 45 minutes. These are additional MR scans which you would not be undergoing unless you were part of the study.