News

2024 San Antonio Combat PTSD Conference opens registration, features compelling line-up

UT Health San Antonio Newsroom

July 19, 2024

Grab your seats now for the premier scientific conference on military psychological health. The STRONG STAR Consortium and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have opened registration for the 9th Annual San Antonio Combat PTSD Conference, happening Oct. 22-23, 2024. The international gathering shares the state-of-the-science on the prevention and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and related conditions affecting military service members and veterans. Last year saw a sell-out crowd. Read about the plans for this year’s conference and its compelling line-up in this UT Health San Antonio news story.

Treatment of Comorbid Sleep Disorders and PTSD

Department of Defense - Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

May 14, 2024

This web highlight by the Defense Department’s Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs discusses the importance of a STRONG STAR Consortium to Alleviate PTSD study led by Daniel Taylor, PhD, on the treatment of co-occurring PTSD and sleep problems in active duty military. The DoD-funded study found that adding cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia and nightmares to an evidence-based PTSD treatment led to better outcomes with both conditions compared to PTSD treatment alone, no matter how the two therapies were ordered.

Psychology alumna presents on importance of sleep

The University of Tulsa

May 1, 2024

STRONG STAR investigator Kristi Pruiksma, PhD, an expert on the treatment of sleep disorders, was invited by her alma mater to speak on the importance of sleep and to address how best to deal with a variety of sleep problems. This article by the University of Tulsa, tells more about her visit.

$17 million goes to local researchers studying military PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, suicide

KSAT-12 News

April 30, 2024

Alan Peterson, PhD, psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor and director of the STRONG STAR national research consortium based at UT Health San Antonio, tells KSAT-12 TV about $17 million in new grant awards from the U.S. Department of Defense for eight research projects on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, suicide and other psychological conditions facing military personnel and veterans.

STRONG STAR Consortium secures $17 million in DOD research funding for brain injuries, PTSD and more

UT Health San Antonio

April 29, 2024

In a recent round of grant awards, the U.S. Department of Defense selected the STRONG STAR Consortium based at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) for a total of $17 million in funding to launch eight new research projects focused on traumatic brain injury and psychological health. The combined projects will enable the consortium to take a big step forward in its mission to advance the care of military personnel and veterans recovering from war-related trauma and the psychological wounds it inflicts.

Working from home is resulting in a condition called “Bed Rotting”

KENS5.com

April 11, 2024

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic working from home has become normalized. But working from home can also lead to a very bad habit called bed rotting. This new trend encourages people to stay in bed for passive activities, but that can spill over into work. In this news story by KENS-TV5, sleep experts including UT Health San Antonio faculty member and STRONG STAR investigator Kristi Pruiksma weigh in on why this can be bad for a person’s sleep and overall health.

Troops Still Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep, and the Defense Department Isn’t Taking Responsibility, Watchdog Says

Military.com

March 28, 2024

A new report by the Government Accountability Office found that fatigue among service members is more the rule than the exception, with active-duty troops sleeping less than seven hours nightly twice as often as civilians, contributing to safety mishaps. Military.com speaks with sleep experts about the problem and what’s needed, including Vincent Mysliwiec, MD, a faculty member with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and research investigator with the STRONG STAR Consortium.

VERIFY | Can magnesium really help you sleep?

KENS-TV 5

February 17, 2024

Sleep affects every aspect of our lives from the home, to work, school and random interactions with other people. Nearly 70 million Americans have some kind of sleep disorder. Insomnia is number one with 30 percent of adults experiencing it, at least short term. One out of every 10 people is said to suffer from chronic insomnia. In this segment of Verify, KENS-5 looks into a natural sleep aid that is all the rage — magnesium — and asks if it can really help. For the answer, they consult with Vincent Mysliwiec, MD, professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, an expert in sleep medicine and a collaborating investigator with the STRONG STAR Consortium.

Hearing ‘Thank you for your service’ makes most young veterans uncomfortable, poll says

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

November 11, 2023

Leaders of a USAA-led initiative called “Face the Fight,” including STRONG STAR investigator Katy Dondanville, PhD, of UT Health San Antonio, encourage us to “go beyond small talk” and connect with veterans on a deeper level to show our appreciation and lend support.

Veterans face stigma over PTSD: ‘Something that we as a country need to overcome’

San Antonio Report

November 11, 2023

Following attendance of the San Antonio Combat PTSD Conference hosted by STRONG STAR and UT Health San Antonio, Shari Biediger reports on how the psychological wounds of war can linger long after military service, as well on advances that have been made in treatments and chances of recovery.