Associations among trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in adolescent survivors of the 2013 Lushan earthquake

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome that occurs after trauma exposure. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin have been reported to be involved in neuropathology of PTSD. Previous studies indicated that the dopamine–oxytocin interaction may contribute to behavioral disorders. Thus, exploring the epistasis (gene–gene interaction) between oxytocinergic and dopaminergic systems might be useful to reveal the genetic basis of PTSD. In this study, we analyzed two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2268498 for oxytocinergic gene OXTR and rs1801028 for dopaminergic gene DRD2 based on putative oxytocin receptor–dopamine receptor D2 (OTR–DR2) heterocomplex in a Chinese cohort exposed to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (156 PTSD cases and 978 controls). Statistical analyses did not find any single variant or gene–environment interaction (SNP × earthquake-related trauma exposure) associated with provisional PTSD diagnosis or symptoms. An OXTR–DRD2 interaction (rs2268498 × rs1801028) was identified to confer risk of provisional PTSD diagnosis (OR = 9.18, 95% CI = 3.07–27.46 and P = 7.37e-05) and further subset analysis indicated that rs2268498 genotypes controlled the association directions of rs1801028 and rs1801028 genotypes also controlled the association directions of rs2268498. Rs2268498 × rs1801028 is also associated with PTSD symptoms (P = 0.043). Our study uncovered a genetic and putative function-based contribution of dopaminergic–oxytocinergic system interaction to PTSD.

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Gene Expression Differences Between Young Adults Based on Trauma History and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.581093 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Kaitlin E. Bountress ◽

Vladimir Vladimirov ◽

Gowon McMichael ◽

Z. Nathan Taylor ◽

Gary Hardiman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Gene Network ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Trauma Exposure ◽

Differentially Expressed ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Network Analyses ◽

Post Traumatic

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression differences associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma exposure (TE) in a three-group study design comprised of those with and without trauma exposure and PTSD.Methods: We conducted gene expression and gene network analyses in a sample (n = 45) composed of female subjects of European Ancestry (EA) with PTSD, TE without PTSD, and controls.Results: We identified 283 genes differentially expressed between PTSD-TE groups. In an independent sample of Veterans (n = 78) a small minority of these genes were also differentially expressed. We identified 7 gene network modules significantly associated with PTSD and TE (Bonferroni corrected p ≤ 0.05), which at a false discovery rate (FDR) of q ≤ 0.2, were significantly enriched for biological pathways involved in focal adhesion, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, and immune related processes among others.Conclusions: This study uses gene network analyses to identify significant gene modules associated with PTSD, TE, and controls. On an individual gene level, we identified a large number of differentially expressed genes between PTSD-TE groups, a minority of which were also differentially expressed in the independent sample. We also demonstrate a lack of network module preservation between PTSD and TE, suggesting that the molecular signature of PTSD and trauma are likely independent of each other. Our results provide a basis for the identification of likely disease pathways and biomarkers involved in the etiology of PTSD.

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Exposure to stressful events during a peacekeeping mission may have a price: The impact on trait of negative and positive affect and mental health

Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1177/1359105317753715 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (9) ◽

pp. 1285-1291

Author(s):

Roberta Sonia Rodrigues Álvares ◽

Ana Carolina Ferraz Mendonça-de-Souza ◽

Antônio Fernando Araujo Duarte ◽

Thaís Medeiros Gameiro ◽

Nastassja Lopes Fischer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

The Impact

We evaluated the participants’ negative affect, positive affect, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms before and after a peacekeeping mission. Depression symptoms and positive affect after mission were significantly associated with exposure to stressful events during the mission, controlled by the respective characteristics before mission. Negative affect and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after mission had a tendency to be associated with exposure to stressful events during the mission, controlled by the respective characteristics before mission. In conclusion, even in healthy and physically active male peacekeepers, those more exposed to stressful events could be more vulnerable to present negative outcomes.

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Prevention of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

10.1093/med/9780190259440.003.0037 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Arieh Y. Shalev ◽

Anna C. Barbano ◽

Wei Qi ◽

Charles R. Marmar

Keyword(s):

Mental Disorders ◽

Early Development ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Events ◽

Trauma Exposure ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) follows an exposure to traumatic events and as such its onset and early development are better charted then those of most other mental disorders. It is not surprising, therefore, that major efforts have been dedicated to preventing its occurrence before, during and after trauma exposure. This chapter discusses the rationale, desirability, feasibility and outcome of interventions designed to prevent PTSD. Several efficient interventions have been documented. Barriers to their early implementations, however, greatly reduce their effectiveness and require urgent attention.

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Optogenetic sleep enhancement improves fear-associated memory processing following trauma exposure in rats

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-75237-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christopher J. Davis ◽

William M. Vanderheyden

Keyword(s):

Sleep Duration ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Trauma Exposure ◽

Dark Phase ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Memory Processing ◽

Optogenetic Stimulation ◽

Post Traumatic

Abstract Sleep disturbances are commonly found in trauma-exposed populations. Additionally, trauma exposure results in fear-associated memory impairments. Given the interactions of sleep with learning and memory, we hypothesized that increasing sleep duration following trauma exposure would restore overall function and improve trauma-induced fear-associated memory dysfunction. Here, we utilized single prolonged stress, a validated rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder, in combination with optogenetic activation of hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone containing cells to increase sleep duration. The goal of this work was to ascertain if post-trauma sleep increases are sufficient to improve fear-associated memory function. In our laboratory, optogenetic stimulation after trauma exposure was sufficient to increase REM sleep duration during both the Light and Dark Phase, whereas NREM sleep duration was only increased during the Dark Phase of the circadian day. Interestingly though, animals that received optogenetic stimulation showed significantly improved fear-associated memory processing compared to non-stimulated controls. These results suggest that sleep therapeutics immediately following trauma exposure may be beneficial and that post-trauma sleep needs to be further examined in the context of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Prevalence, comorbidity and stability of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety and depression symptoms after exposure to physical assault: An 8-year prospective longitudinal study

Nordic Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/08039488.2012.732112 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 69-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Venke A. Johansen ◽

Dag Erik Eilertsen ◽

Dag Nordanger ◽

Lars Weisaeth

Keyword(s):

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Physical Assault ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Prospective Longitudinal

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Mediating role of avoidance of trauma disclosure and social disapproval in ICD-11 post-traumatic stress disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder: cross-sectional study in a Lithuanian clinical sample

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.1055 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Monika Kvedaraite ◽

Odeta Gelezelyte ◽

Thanos Karatzias ◽

Neil P. Roberts ◽

Evaldas Kazlauskas

Keyword(s):

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Trauma Exposure ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

The Relationship

Background ICD-11 includes a new diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), resulting predominantly from reoccurring or prolonged trauma. Previous studies showed that lack of social support is among the strongest predictors of PTSD, but social factors have been sparsely studied in the context of the ICD-11 definition of PTSD and CPTSD. Aims To analyse the factor structure of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) in a Lithuanian clinical sample and to evaluate the mediating role of social and interpersonal factors in the relationship between trauma exposure and ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD. Method The sample comprised 280 adults from out-patient mental health centres (age, years: mean 39.48 (s.d. = 13.35); 77.5% female). Trauma-related stress symptoms were measured with the ITQ. Social disapproval was measured with the Social Acknowledgment Questionnaire (SAQ) and trauma disclosure using the Disclosure of Trauma Questionnaire (DTQ). Results ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD prevalence among the participants in this study was 13.9% and 10.0% respectively. Results indicated that avoidance of trauma disclosure mediated the relationship between trauma exposure and PTSD as well as CPTSD, whereas social disapproval mediated only the relationship between trauma exposure and CPTSD. Conclusions The findings suggest that disclosure of traumatic experiences and support from closest friends and family members might mitigate the effects of traumatic experiences, potentially reducing the risk of developing CPTSD.

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