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Does trauma exposure have a long-term impact on the brain and behavior of healthy individuals? The authors used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the impact of proximity to the disaster of September 11, 2001, on amygdala function in 22 healthy adults. More than three years after the terrorist attacks, bilateral amygdala activity in response to viewing fearful faces compared to calm ones was higher in people who were within 1.5 miles of the World Trade Center on 9/11, relative to those who were living more than 200 miles away (all were living in the New York metropolitan area at time of scan). This activity mediated the relationship between group status and current symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. In turn, the effect of group status on both amygdala activation (fearful vs. calm faces) and current symptoms was statistically explained by time since worst trauma in lifetime and intensity of worst trauma, as indicated by reported symptoms at time of the trauma. These data are consistent with a model of heightened amygdala reactivity following high-intensity trauma exposure, with relatively slow recovery.

Marking the fifth year after the attack on the Pentagon, staff at the burn center in Washington, DC, memorialize in a contemplative frame of mind. These reflections are drawn from members of the extended burn team and render an interwoven sketch in prose that previously has not been heard.

This study examined the responses of elementary school children in Washington, DC, to the September 11 terrorist attacks. Parents (primarily mothers) of children in kindergarten through Grade 6 and children in Grades 4 to 6, including 47 matched parent-child pairs, completed questionnaires regarding exposure, stress reactions, and constructive actions taken 3 months after the attacks. Parent reports and, to an even greater extent, children's self-reports revealed high levels of negative reactions to the attacks on behalf of the children. These reactions were best understood in the context of their exposure to the attacks, primarily through television news, and the reactions of and coping assistance provided by their parents. Implications for school personnel, health care professionals, and intervention efforts are discussed., (((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved).)