San Francisco physicist Norbert Schuff captured the attention of colleagues at a recent San Francisco area conference of leading neurologists. He presented them with colorful brain images of U.S. soldiers who had returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Schuff explained that the yellow areas of the images showed where the hippocampus, the area of the brain which is a big factor in memory and emotions, had atrophied. The red swatches on the images show hyperfusion-increased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, which is the area that controls conflict resolution and decision making. Compared to the brain of a soldier without the affliction, the PTSD brain had lost 5 to 10 percent of its gray matter volume, which indicates even more neuron damage

Schuff points out that his findings are preliminary and there are still ongoing trials, but at least researchers are closer to finding the biological markers that distinguish a brain affected by PTSD. Technology of brain imaging is improving and resulting data is being refined, making it easier for detection of PTSD in the brain. Doctors believe PTSD will one day be as easily spotted as a brain tumor.

"But we're still in the infancy of neuroimaging," Schuff stated, "Do you get PTSD because you have a small hippocampus? Or does a small hippocampus mean you'll develop PTSD? That, we still don't know."

The Department of Defense is pushing to address PTSD and Schuff’s research is at the forefront. PTSD is a psychological disorder, defined as an anxiety disorder triggered by traumatic events, and is estimated to that it will affect 30 percent of the veterans returning from the two current wars, according to the Pentagon. According to Pentagon officials there are already forty thousand veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have been diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD symptoms may include nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks.

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