Newswise — Stony Brook, NY, October 30, 2017 – A new study of more than 1,100 WTC responders cared for at the Stony Brook University WTC Wellness Program indicates a significant increase in physical disability among the responders. The findings, published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, revealed that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with physical limitations (such as problems with walking, getting out of a chair, and balance). PTSD symptoms worsened among individuals with physical limitations. Lead author Sean Clouston, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Program in Public Health, says the findings are concerning because of the relative young age of the responders (35 to 65) and are also suggestive of “a looming burden of physical disability and changes in brain functioning in the population – two sensitive indicators of physical and/or cognitive decline.”
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Stony Brook University is going beyond the expectations of what today’s public universities can accomplish. Since its founding in 1957, this young university has grown to become a flagship as one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with more than 26,000 students and 2,600 faculty members, and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs. Our faculty have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. The University offers students an elite education with an outstanding return on investment: U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 50 public universities in the nation. Its membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 62 research institutions in North America. As part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University joins a prestigious group of universities that have a role in running federal R&D labs. Stony Brook University is a driving force in the region’s economy, generating nearly 60,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of more than $4.6 billion. Our state, country and world demand ambitious ideas, imaginative solutions and exceptional leadership to forge a better future for all. The students, alumni, researchers and faculty of Stony Brook University are prepared to meet this challenge.
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