UC San Diego’s School of Medicine said Sept. 9 it will lead a $60 million, five-year effort funded by the Department of Defense to study and treat post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

A nationwide consortium comprised of 10 research sites will test new therapies designed to prevent the illnesses and enhance recovery in individuals at risk for psychological, emotional and cognitive problems as a result of traumatic injury.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 7.7 million Americans suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder every year. Approximately 1.4 million Americans suffer from traumatic brain injury each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

UCSD Psychiatry and Family and Preventive Medicine Professor Murray Stein will direct the multi-center project, along with UCSD professor and biostatistics division director Ronald Thomas.

According to the Department of Defense, the project is part of the department’s $300 million commitment to “prevent, mitigate and treat the effects of traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury on function, wellness and overall quality of life for service members as well as their caregivers and families.”

— Heather Chambers