The Center for Nursing Research [CNRTriServiceTSNRPTSNRPAATKrause-ParelloCNR

The two-year study, Wounded Warriors, began on Thursday, March 1, 2012 and will address whether the use of animal-assisted therapy can lead to an improved stress indicator response in wounded soldiers. Participants are primarily inpatient wounded soldiers from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Krause-Parello

Working Dogs for Wounded Warriors will explore potential solutions for PTSD and its consequences in the lives of wounded soldiers. This will be done by investigating an innovative method to improve their well-being with the introduction of animal-assisted therapy with the rehabilitation process. This study will seek to use animal assisted therapy to improve stress-indicator responses by measuring stress biomarkers such as salivary cortisolIgAAATAATAAT

Colonel Pearl stated, "This knowledge will provide scientific evidence that the use of dogs and other animals in therapy causes a chemical change in the body and supports our wounded warriors in coping with both their visible and invisible injuries."

The long-term objectives of this study include mitigating stress responses through the use of AAT

For more information, contact Dr. Cheryl Krause-Parello