The organizers and attendees of the NATO-funded “Wounds of War” Advanced Research Workshop series realized the need for the 2012 NATO Advanced Study Institute: Invisible Wounds – New Tools to Enhance PTSD Diagnosis and Treatment (IW2012) due to the increased rates of PTSD in combat veterans and survivors of armed conflict. Exposure to traumatic events have led to this increased risk of PTSD and often, the serious consequences of this disorder lead to impulsive and destructive behaviours such as drug abuse, uncontrollable anger, and even suicide. Combat-related PTSD is one of the strongest contributing factors to high suicide risk in returning troops. IW2012 disseminated knowledge, emboldened skill sets, fostered collaborations and trained attendees to help counter this aforementioned internal threat to our countries' security.

In comparison to a traditional conference, IW2012 allowed for greater collaboration among established and emerging research leaders in the field of PTSD, and provided an in depth presentation of this unique material. IW2012 afforded participants a solid grounding in the latest PTSD research; review of the latest science related to theoretical constructs and associated neuroscience; and presentation of the latest psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for intervention, treatment, and management of this disorder.

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D, MBA, BCIA