Decades after 9/11, toxic dust and PTSD may be accelerating brain aging among first responders - PBS

A surprising feature of how the brain stores memories could help explain why harmless situations can sometimes quickly feel threatening, a hallmark of anxiety and trauma disorders. Scientists have long believed that fear helps the brain draw a clearer line between danger and safety. The new study from researchers at the Douglas Research Centre at McGill University and the University of Toronto-Scarborough, published in Nature Neuroscience, suggests the opposite.

First responders help us through some of our worst moments, but what happens when they’re the ones needing help? A first-of-its-kind symposium was held in Hamilton Wednesday, which brought first responders together to discuss the job’s impact on mental health and ways to better support workers.