Dr. Mike Esterman -002

In this podcast, Dr. Michael Esterman, Staff Scientist in the National Center for PTSD and Associate Director of the Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center at VA Boston, discusses how PTSD, chronic pain, and related conditions facing our returning Veterans can impact cognitive functioning, such as the ability to concentrate, avoid distraction, perform complex executive functions, and stay motivated. He also describes the brain systems that can be impacted by these clinical conditions. Finally Dr. Esterman discusses how a recently funded study entitled “Neurobiological Mediators of Self-Regulatory and Reward-Based Motivational Predictors of Exercise Maintenance in Chronic Pain and PTSD” can potentially improve these clinical conditions, cognitive/motivational problems, and ultimately improve brain functioning and quality of life.