Medscape (6/12, Ault, Subscription Publication) reports a 20-year study “shows that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms can endure for decades, challenging conventional timelines for recovery and offering new insights to guide future treatment.” The researchers examined data from the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) “and found symptoms of PTSD persisted for as long as two decades in 10% of first responders involved in the World Trade Center disaster of September 2001.” In the study, researchers observed that PTSD “symptom trajectories varied widely. Nearly as many participants experienced worsening symptoms as those who improved. As a result, the overall population average remained relatively flat over the 20-year period.” The study was published in Nature Mental Health. (SOURCE: APA Headlines)