Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T06:53:16.525Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetics of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Ronnen H. Segman  and
Arieh Y. Shalev
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent anxiety disorder marked by behavioral, physiologic, and hormonal alterations. PTSD is disabling and commonly follows a chronic course. The etiology of PTSD is unknown, although exposure to a traumatic event constitutes a necessary, but not sufficient, factor. A twin study of Vietnam veterans has shown significant genetic contribution to PTSD. The fact that PTSD's underlying genotypic vulnerability is only expressed following trauma exposure limits the usefulness of family-based linkage approaches. In contrast to the other major psychiatric disorders, large studies for the search of underlying genes have not been described in PTSD to date. Complementary approaches for locating involved genes include association-based studies employing case-control or parental genotypes for transmission dysequilibrium analysis and quantitative trait loci studies in animal models. Identification of susceptibility genes will increase our understanding of traumatic stress disorders and help to elucidate their molecular basis. The current review provides an up-to-date outline of progress in the field of PTSD.

Type
Review Article
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 8 , Issue 9: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder , September 2003 , pp. 693 - 698
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Breslau, N, Kessler, RC, Chilcoat, HD, et al.Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the community: the 1996 Detroit Area Survey of Trauma. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:626–632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Kessler, RC, Sonega, A, Bromet, E, et al.Posttraumatic stress disorder in the national comorbidity survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52:1048–1060.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Zlotnick, C, Warshaw, M, Shea, MT, et al.Chronicity in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and predictors of course of comorbid PTSD in patients with anxiety disorders. J Trauma Stress. 1999;12:89–100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Blanchard, EB, Hickling, EJ, Forneris, CA, et al.Prediction of remission of acute posttraumatic stress disorder in motor vehicle accident victims. J Trauma Stress. 1997;10:215–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Brewin, CR, Andrews, B, Valentine, JD. Meta analysis of risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2000;68:784–766.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Yehuda, R, Boisoneau, D, Lowy, MT, Giller, EL Jr.Dose-response changes in plasma cortisol and lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors following dexamethasone administration in combat veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52:583–593.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Shalev, AY, Pitman, RK, Orr, SP, et al.Auditory startle in trauma survivors with PTSD: a prospective study. Am J Psychiatry. 2000;157:255–261.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.True, WR, Rice, J, Eisen, SA, et al.A twin study of genetic and environmental contributions to liability for posttraumatic stress symptoms. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1993;50:257–264.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Xian, H, Chantarujikapong, SI, Scherrer, JF, et al.Genetic and environmental influences on posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug dependence in twin pairs. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2000;22:95–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.McLeod, DS, Koenen, KC, Meyer, JM, et al.Genetic and environmental influences on the relationship among combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and alcohol use. J Trauma Stress. 2001;14:259–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Chantarujikapong, SI, Scherrer, JF, Xian, H, et al.A twin study of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, panic disorder symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder in men. Psychiatry Res. 2001;103:133–145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Radant, A, Tsuang, D, Peskind, ER, et al.Biological markers and diagnostic accuracy in the genetics of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2001;102:203–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Devlin, B, Roeder, K. Genomic control for association studies. Biometrics. 1999;55:997–1004.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Pritchard, JK, Stephens, M, Rosenberg, NA, Donnelly, P. Association mapping in structured populations. Am J Hum Genet. 2000;67:170–181.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Spielman, RS, McGinnis, RE, Ewens, WJ. Transmission test for linkage disequilibrium: the insulin gene region and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Am J Hum Genet. 1993;52:506–516.Google ScholarPubMed
16.Devlin, B, Roeder, K, Wasserman, L. Genomic control, a new approach to genetic-based association studies. Theor Popul Biol. 2001;60:155–166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Thornsberry, JM, Goodman, MM, Doebley, J, et al.Dwarf8 polymorphisms associate with variation in flowering time. Nat Genet. 2001;28:286–289.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Shalev, AY, Sahar, T, Freedman, S, et al.A prospective study of heart rate response following trauma and the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:553–559.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Yehuda, R. Sensitization of the HPA in PTSD. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1998;821:57–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.McFall, ME, Murburg, MM, Ko, GN, Veith, RC. Autonomic responses to stress in Vietnam combat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 1990;27:1165–1175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Charney, DS, Deutch, AY, Krystal, JH, et al.Psychobiologic mechanisms of PTSD. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1993;50:294–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Shalev, AY, Orr, SP, Peri, T. Physiologic responses to loud tones in Israeli PTSD patients. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992;49:870–875.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Orr, SP, Lasko, NB, Shalev, AY, Pitman, RK. Physiologic responses to loud tones in Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder, J Abnorm Psychol. 1995;104:75–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Peri, T, Ben-Sachar, G, Orr, SP, Shalev, AY. Psychophysiological assessment of aversive conditioning in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Biol Psychiatry. 2000;47:512–519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25.Wolfe, J, Schlesinger, LK. Performance of PTSD patients on standard tests of memory: implications for trauma. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1998;821:208–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Cahill, L. The neurobiology of emotionally influenced memory. Implications for understanding traumatic memory. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1998;821:238–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Calderone, B, Saaverda, C, Tartaglia, K, et al.QTL analysis affecting contextual conditioning in mice. Nat Genet. 1997;17:335–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Owen, EH, Christensen, SC, Paylor, R, Wehner, JM. Identification of quantitative trait loci involved in contextual and auditory fear conditioning in BDX recombinant inbred strains. Behav Neurosci. 1997;111:292–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Kirschenbaum, C, Wust, S, Faig, HG, Hellhammer, DH. Heritability of cortisol responses to human corticotropin releasing hormone ergometry and psychological stress in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992;75:1526–1530.Google Scholar
30.Neiderhiser, JM, Plomin, R, McClearn, GE. The use of CXB recombinant inbred mice to detect quantitative trait loci in behavior. Physiol Behav. 1992;52:429–439.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Connors, KM, Davidson, JRT. Familial risk factors in PTSD. In: Yehuda, R, McFarlane, AC, eds. Psychobiology of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Vol 821. New York, NY: New York Academy of Sciences. 1997:35–51.Google Scholar
32.Shalev, AY, Friedman, S, Peri, T, et al.Prospective study of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression following trauma. Am J Psychiatry. 1998;155:5:630–637.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.Google Scholar
34.Owen, MJ, McGuffin, P. Association and linkage: complementary strategies for complex disorders. J Med Genet. 1993;30:638–639.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35.Segman, RH, Kooper-Kazaz, R, Macciardi, F, et al.Association between the dopamine transporter gene and posttraumatic stress disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2002;7:903–907.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36.Comings, DE, Muhleman, D, Gysin, R. Dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene and susceptibility to posttraumatic stress disorder: a study and replication. Biol Psychiatry. 1996;40:368–372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37.Gelernter, J, Southwick, S, Goodson, S, et al.No association between D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) “A” system alleles, or DRD2 haplotypes, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 1999;45:620–625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38.Frisch, A, Postilnick, D, Rockah, R, et al.Association of unipolar major depressive disorder with genes of the serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways. Mol Psychiatry. 1999;4:389–392.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39.Michelhaugh, SK, Fiskerstrand, C, Lovejoy, E, et al.The dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) variable number of tandem repeats domain enhances transcription in dopamine neurons. J Neurochem. 2001;79:1033–1038.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
40.Martinez, D, Gelernter, J, Abi-Dargham, A, et al.The variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism of the dopamine transporter gene is not associated with significant change in dopamine transporter phenotype in humans. Neuropsychopharmacohgy. 2001;24:553–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar