According to US News & World Report (7/20, Leonard), “researchers who have studied the psychological effects of terrorism say that while atrocities can influence the way people think and make decisions and can damage their mental health, in most cases these effects tend not to linger.” Approximately “30 percent of people who survive disasters develop post-traumatic stress disorder within a month, according to the American Psychiatric Association.” But, even though “victims are unlikely to forget what happened, half will recover within three months.”

Related Links:

— “What Does Terrorism Do to the Mind?,” Kimberly Leonard, US News & World Report, July 20, 2016.

HealthDay (7/20, Dallas) reports that research indicates “sleep disorders are six times more likely among American military veterans than in the general population.” Investigators found that “veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) seem to have the highest rates.” Researchers came to this conclusion after studying “more than 9.7 million veterans treated by the Veterans Health Administration system between 2000 and 2010.” The findings were published in Sleep.

Related Links:

— “Sleep Disorders 6 Times Higher Among Veterans,” Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, July 20, 2016.

Reuters (7/20, Rapaport) reports, “When babies are extremely premature, parents are about 10 times more likely to become depressed than mothers and fathers of full-term, healthy infants,” research suggests. Included in the study were “113 mothers and 101 fathers of preemies, as well as 117 mothers and 151 fathers of healthy, full-term infants.” The findings were published online July 18 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Parents of preemies often depressed after birth,” Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, July 20, 2016.

Fox News (7/19, Carstensen) reports that “a new randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial suggests” hormone “therapy does not impact mental skills like verbal memory…regardless of when an individual begins taking estradiol after menopause.”

Related Links:

— “Hormone therapy has no effect on verbal memory after menopause, study suggests,” Melinda Carstensen, Fox News, July 19, 2016.

HealthDay (7/18, Dotinga) reports researchers found that certain types of hits to high school football players’ heads are especially damaging to players, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. The researchers reviewed data collected from devices inside football helmets and found that hits to the head that were preceded by running a long distance as well as hits caused by other players were especially damaging, according to University of Georgia assistant professor Julianne Schmidt, the study’s author.

Related Links:

— “Concussion Study Shows Player-to-Player Hits Most Damaging,” Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, July 18, 2016.