A genome-wide association study (GWAS) and bioinformatic analysis of more than 165,000 U.S. veterans confirms a genetic vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), specifically noting abnormalities in stress hormone response and/or functioning of specific brain regions, report scientists in a paper published July 29, 2019 in Nature Neuroscience.
In the new paper, a diverse team led by Murray B. Stein, MD, MPH, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine and Public Health at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, and Joel Gelernter, MD, professor of psychiatry, genetics and neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine and VA Connecticut Healthcare System, sought to better parse the pathophysiology of PTSD — its underlying biological mechanisms — by analyzing genetic data from members of the Million Veteran Program, a national voluntary research effort funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research & Development.
The scientists focused on finding genetic links relevant to “intrusive re-experiencing of trauma,” the most common symptom of PTSD, which is characterized by unintentional and unwanted recall, emotions and behaviors linked to past traumatic events, such as flashbacks.
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