Are SF Soldiers Biologically Different?

[Warrior-Mentor]

Molecular Secret of Special Forces toughness
11:06 18 February 2003
NewScientist.com news service
Shaoni Bhattacharya, Denver

Special Forces soldiers have neurological differences that make them more resilient to post-traumatic stress disorder than the average soldier, say researchers.

A study of soldiers based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, found that Green Berets were much less likely to suffer symptoms of PTSD after a week of gruelling exercises that simulated being captured and interrogated by the enemy.

The elite soldiers produced more of a molecule called neuropeptide Y in their blood than regular soldiers. This molecule is generated by the body to help calm the brain in times of extreme stress, says Matt Friedmann, director of the US National Center for PTSD in Connecticut, which carried out the research.

"The Special Forces types had a greater capacity for mobilising neuropeptide Y than ordinary soldiers, and they were also able to sustain it for longer periods," he told a session on PTSD at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual conference in Denver, Colorado. Furthermore, neuropeptide Y in Special Forces personnel returned to normal levels within 24 hours, whereas it dipped below normal in the others.

Bottle it
The greater the capacity to mobilise neuropeptide Y, the lower the likelihood of PTSD, says Friedmann. "If we could bottle this, or if we could train people to mobilise their own neuropeptide Y, that would be primary prevention for PTSD - a very exciting approach," he says.

Although the work has been going on for several years, the researchers are still uncertain whether the Green Berets' enhanced capacity to endure trauma was genetic or had been acquired through Special Forces training.

Another study discussed in the conference session revealed the extent of PTSD in the general population, following the terrorist attacks of September 11. The new work by researchers from the New York Academy of Medicine shows that 7.5 per cent of New Yorkers had PTSD symptoms in the 30 days after the attack, but that this dropped to 0.6 per cent nine months after.

The study also showed those people who lost a family member or friend were just as likely as those who did not to recover from PTSD. The researchers found that age, employment status and life stressors were more important factors in determining recovery.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3402

[Warrior-Mentor]

The study compared SF Soldiers against other soldiers in SERE, including Rangers, aviators, etc.

The question is, were the SF guys some how conditioned to better handle the stress through training or were they biologically superior, as the article suggests.

Perhaps the "stress inoculation" we used throughout our training (crawl, walk, run methodology) better prepared them for what to expect and/or how to handle stress - just as a runner can condition himself to handle longer distances at a faster pace and recover from them quicker.

Somehow, I suspect it's a combination of the two...conditioning (training) and biology. Biologically, as we are drawn to this type of environment/work. Someone naturally adverse to risk (a librarian?) would take much longer to build up to that level, just as a couch potato would take much longer to get into shape.

[Roguish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

The question is, were the SF guys some how conditioned to better handle the stress through training or were they biologically superior, as the article suggests.

I was just about to post the same question, but you beat me to it.

[Surgicalcric]

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

...we used throughout our training (crawl, walk, run methodology)...

I dont believe the instructors at JSOMT-C (now Special Warfare Medical Goup (A)) got that memo...

Crip

[Guy]

They need to do a study on our "sense of humor!"

That screws up a bunch of people...LOL

Take care.

[sf-doc]

Originally Posted by Guy

They need to do a study on our "sense of humor!"

That screws up a bunch of people...LOL

Take care.

Will that be the little blue M&M? opps, no that was something else too!

Doc

[longrange1947]

This is really nothing new, as there is another book titled "Men, Stress and Viet Nam" that came to a similar conclusion. It is a small book and follows a one year study where they went from location to location taking blood and urine samples. They had just created a repeatable, confimed, matix of how the human body reacts to stress. They then made the mistake fo going to an A Camp for a study and then had to change all of their "confirmed data". Seems that the guys on the camp reacted a tad differently.

I will have to dig into my old library adn see fi I can find that book. Very interesting read and it is a quick read. I am sure some of the other guys will have read it.

[CERBERUS]

"Although the work has been going on for several years, the researchers are still uncertain whether the Green Berets' enhanced capacity to endure trauma was genetic or had been acquired through Special Forces training."

SF soldiers are on average more physically fit than the average. Which in itself may lead to this phenomena being above average.
Comparing soldiers who have been conditioned to extreme physical and mental stress in training, to soldiers who have not had nearly as much experience is not very useful in my opinion.
I believe that responses to stress can be controlled and learned, within reason.

It would be interesting to see how SF qualified soldiers fair against other groups that volunteer and train for working in hazardous conditions, maybe firefighters or something to that effect.

Maybe use 18X'ers or soldiers slated to attend SFAS and see if there is a correlation in the levels of these chemicals before and after SFAS and subsequent training.

I know that 18 series soldiers are elite and deserve all the respect in the world. If you chalk it up to genetic superiority it takes alot away from those guys who have to work twice as hard to wear the beret.

The science involved in the article does not prove or disprove whether it is an environmental or genetic trait though. I think it is most likely a product of the environment 18 series soldiers subject themselves to, especially considering how the approach used in the study.

I will shut up now and return to trawling for information.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by CERBERUS

"Although the work has been going on for several years, the researchers are still uncertain whether the Green Berets' enhanced capacity to endure trauma was genetic or had been acquired through Special Forces training."

SF soldiers are on average more physically fit than the average. Which in itself may lead to this phenomena being above average.
Comparing soldiers who have been conditioned to extreme physical and mental stress in training, to soldiers who have not had nearly as much experience is not very useful in my opinion.
I believe that responses to stress can be controlled and learned, within reason.

It would be interesting to see how SF qualified soldiers fair against other groups that volunteer and train for working in hazardous conditions, maybe firefighters or something to that effect.

Maybe use 18X'ers or soldiers slated to attend SFAS and see if there is a correlation in the levels of these chemicals before and after SFAS and subsequent training.

I know that 18 series soldiers are elite and deserve all the respect in the world. If you chalk it up to genetic superiority it takes alot away from those guys who have to work twice as hard to wear the beret.

The science involved in the article does not prove or disprove whether it is an environmental or genetic trait though. I think it is most likely a product of the environment 18 series soldiers subject themselves to, especially considering how the approach used in the study.

I will shut up now and return to trawling for information.

They also tested Rangers, Spec Ops aviators, and other personnel who attended SERE at CMK. The second post on this thread explained that.

They are as fit as most SF personnel.

They did not display the same levels of neuropeptide Y.

TR

[SB8734]

One interesting thing I found:



"Studies of mice and monkeys show that repeated stress — and a high-fat, high-sugar diet — stimulate the release of neuropeptide Y, causing fat to build up in the abdomen. Researchers believe that by manipulating levels of the appetite hormone, they could make fat melt from areas where it was not desired and accumulate at sites where it is needed.[18][19]"

^ Thomas H. Maugh II (July 2, 2007). "Research points to way to eliminate belly fat". Chicago Tribune.
^ Kuo LE, Kitlinska JB, Tilan JU, et al. (July 2007). "Neuropeptide Y acts directly in the periphery on fat tissue and mediates stress-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome". Nat. Med. 13 (7):


Does that correlate to any of your diets: High-fat, high sugar? I'm curious, are SF soldiers more likely to be overweight than non-SF soldiers, or SF include all kinds of body types?

Thanks in advance for your insights.

[Guy]

Originally Posted by SB8734

One interesting thing I found:



"Studies of mice and monkeys show that repeated stress

Our education system has run amok! When mice and/or monkeys start humping like mules, carrying guns, jumping out of planes, speaking foreign languages, paying taxes, and dying for their country, and etc. etc. etc.....the goddamn comparison is retarded!

Stay safe.

[Dreadnought]

Sounds like a vestige of the "2%", which are psychologically precluded from developing PTSD when compared to the average service member, which theoretically comprise the vast majority of SOF as mentioned by Mr. Grossman in his book "On Killing."

Doesn't sound unreasonable, but I imagine that it's pretty standard throughout all of the SOFs that this resiliency is prevalent

[jkirkthomas]

There might be a genetic basis for whatever biological difference there is with us, but as an earlier post mentioned, the term "mind-set" expresses it well. I made it though jump school and Training Group because I already knew that nothing was going to stop me, and it didn't. Mind-set. To get past being wet, cold, hungry, exhausted, scared shitless, or otherewise stressed, and going beyond what you ever thought you could do because other members of your team are depending on you and by God, you HAVE to. Mind set. I served with men better than me - stronger, faster, more talented and skillful, etc., etc. - but my mind set kept me from letting them down. You either have it or you don't, and if you aren't sure, then you probably don't.

Then too, being a stubborn, opinionated, irrascible SOB probably helps as well.

My two cents worth.

[Pete]

Man, I hate it when they start messing with our heads and claim it's just a chemical.

Next thing ya' know all the herb stores will have bottles of "Green Beret" pills.

And "NO" you young guys, they will "NOT" help you get through SFAS.

Pete

[Kyobanim]

And "NO" you young guys, they will "NOT" help you get through SFAS.

LMAO!