Acceptance of rape myths and psychological symptoms: the indirect effect of self-blame.

Objective: The current study examined the influence of rape myth acceptance on self-blame and psychological symptoms following a sexual assault. Participants: The sample included 280 female sexual assault survivors in college. Methods: In an online survey, participants completed the Sexual Experiences Survey - Short Form Victimization, Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 item scale, and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. Results: A significant indirect effect was found between acceptance of rape myths and PTSD symptoms via self-blame; acceptance of rape myths was positively associated with self-blame, which in turn was positively associated with PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Clinicians working with survivors of sexual assault should assess for endorsement of rape myths and self-blame, as challenging posttraumatic cognitions has been shown to reduce symptoms of trauma.

High Social Coping Self-Efficacy Associated With Lower Sweat Interleukin-6 in Older Adults With Chronic Illness.

Inflammation, particularly interleukin-6 (IL-6), is associated with chronic disease in older adults, but not all older adults have the same progression of poor health outcomes. Self-efficacy may play a role in buffering the inflammatory burden in chronic disease. To evaluate associations between self-efficacy and IL-6, 159 community-dwelling older adults (N = 159, Mage = 82 years, SD = 6.3 years) with one or more chronic illnesses were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Sweat IL-6 was collected using a noninvasive sweat patch worn for 72 hrs. Multiple linear regression with bootstrapping showed a significant association between social coping self-efficacy and IL-6 (ß = -0.534, p = .010) after adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, financial strain, chronic conditions, and social support. Although preliminary, this study creates a rationale to explore the self-efficacy inflammatory biomarker association further. Enhancing self-efficacy might be a viable nonpharmacological treatment to lower or slow the inflammatory burden in older adults.

What's in a Label? The Impact of Media and Sexual Assault Characteristics on Survivor Rape Acknowledgment.

Media coverage of sexual assault has increased since 2017 due to high-profile cases and social media campaigns designed to increase awareness of sexual assault. The purpose of this study was to examine whether media coverage of the Harvey Weinstein allegations and the onset of the 2017 viral #MeToo movement impacted the likelihood of college women acknowledging their own victimization as rape. Participants were 207 female rape survivors who completed an online survey that included assessments of survivor acknowledgment and characteristics of the sexual assault. Some participants completed the study prior to the Harvey Weinstein allegations and onset of the #MeToo movement, and some participants completed the study after these events. The likelihood of survivors labeling their experience as rape did not differ based on when participants completed the study, odds ratios (ORs) = 0.61-3.92, ps = .127-.604. Use of both nonforceful verbal resistance, OR = 2.63, p = .001, and assertive resistance, OR = 3.05, p < .001, were positively associated with the likelihood of survivor acknowledgment. The effects of both perpetrators' use of force and experiencing immobility on survivor acknowledgment were moderated by the timing of study completion, ORs = 4.22 and 0.11, respectively, ps = .023-.040. These findings suggest that media coverage may impact how certain sexual assault characteristics influence how survivors label their victimization experiences.

Mild traumatic brain injuries with loss of consciousness are associated with increased inflammation and pain in military personnel.

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are a pervasive concern for military personnel. Determining the impact of injury severity, including loss of consciousness (LOC) may provide important insights into the risk of psychological symptoms and inflammation commonly witnessed in military personnel and veterans following mTBI. US military personnel and veterans were categorized into three groups; TBI with LOC (n = 36), TBI without LOC (n = 25), Controls (n = 82). Participants reported their history of mTBI, psychological symptoms (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and depression), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and underwent a blood draw. ANCOVA models which controlled for insomnia status and combat exposure indicated that both mTBI groups (with/without LOC) reported significantly greater depression and PTSD symptoms compared to controls; however, they did not differ from each other. The mTBI with LOC did report greater pain than both controls and mTBI without LOC. The TBI with LOC group also had significantly elevated IL-6 concentrations than both TBI without LOC and control groups. Within the mTBI groups, increased TNFα concentrations were associated with greater PTSD symptoms. These findings indicate that sustaining an mTBI, with or without LOC is detrimental for psychological wellbeing. However, LOC may be involved in perceptions of pain and concentrations of IL-6.

Altered DNA Methylation Patterns Associated With Clinically Relevant Increases in PTSD Symptoms and PTSD Symptom Profiles in Military Personnel.

Military personnel experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is associated with differential DNA methylation across the whole genome. However, the relationship between these DNA methylation patterns and clinically relevant increases in PTSD severity is not yet clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in DNA methylation associated with PTSD symptoms and investigate DNA methylation changes related to increases in the severity of PTSD in military personnel. In this pilot study, a cross-sectional comparison was made between military personnel with PTSD (n = 8) and combat-matched controls without PTSD (n = 6). Symptom measures were obtained, and genome-wide DNA methylation was measured using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP-seq) from whole blood samples at baseline and 3 months later. A longitudinal comparison measured DNA methylation changes in military personnel with clinically relevant increases in PTSD symptoms between time points (PTSD onset) and compared methylation patterns to controls with no clinical changes in PTSD. In military personnel with elevated PTSD symptoms 3 months following baseline, 119 genes exhibited reduced methylation and 8 genes exhibited increased methylation. Genes with reduced methylation in the PTSD-onset group relate to the canonical pathways of netrin signaling, Wnt/Ca+ pathway, and axonal guidance signaling. These gene pathways relate to neurological disorders, and the current findings suggest that these epigenetic changes potentially relate to PTSD symptomology. This study provides some novel insights into the role of epigenetic changes in PTSD symptoms and the progression of PTSD symptoms in military personnel.

Elevated tau and interleukin-6 concentrations in adults with obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by apneas and hypopneas that result in hypoxia, cerebral hypoperfusion, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress. These pathophysiologic processes likely contribute to neuronal damage. Tau is a protein that stabilizes microtubules and, along with amyloid beta (Aß), is associated with neurodegenerative processes. We sought to determine if tau and other biomarkers of inflammation were related to OSA severity. Concentrations of tau, Aß40, Aß42, c-reactive protein (CRP), TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 were measured in blood and compared between participants with moderate-severe OSA (n = 28), those with mild OSA (n = 22), and healthy controls (n = 24). The cohort included relatively young, primarily male active duty military personnel without a history of traumatic brain injury or neurodegenerative disease. Total biomarker concentrations were determined from plasma samples using an ultra-sensitive detection method, Simoa™, and CRP was assayed by ELISA. Total tau and IL-6 concentrations were elevated in participants with moderate-severe OSA, with a mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 26.1/h, compared to those with mild OSA (mean AHI 8.6/h) and healthy controls (mean AHI 2.1/h). Tau concentrations were also significantly correlated with the AHI (r = 0.342, p = 0.004). Our findings show that tau is elevated in the blood of young patients with moderate-severe OSA, suggesting that this degree of sleep-disordered breathing is a contributing factor in the development of neurodegenerative disorders. The finding of increased IL-6 further suggests that inflammatory biomarkers are present early in the course of this chronic disease.

Inflammation Relates to Chronic Behavioral and Neurological Symptoms in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injuries.

Studies have shown that the presence of acute inflammation during recovery is indicative of poor outcomes after a traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, the role of chronic inflammation in predicting post-TBI-related symptoms remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to compare inflammatory biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, and IL-10) in active duty personnel who either sustained or did not sustain a TBI. Service members were also assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and quality of life through self-reported measures. IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were greater in the TBI group than in the control group. Of those with a TBI, IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were greater in the high-PTSD group than the low-PTSD group. No significant differences were found in IL-10 or the IL-6/IL-10 ratios between those with low and high PTSD. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to describe the latent structure of variables relating to emotional and physical health (i.e., Short Form 36 subcomponents, etc.) and their relationships within the TBI group with inflammatory cytokines. Four symptom profiles were found, with the third component most relating to PTSD and depression symptoms and high inflammation. This study indicates that the comorbidity of TBI and PTSD is associated with inflammation in a military sample, emphasizing the necessity for intervention in order to mitigate the risks associated with inflammation.