Psychoneuroimmunology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Hannah Bind ◽  
Carmine M. Pariante
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Immune Activation ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Immune Changes

This chapter reviews the evidence linking post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with changes in immune function. The chapter starts with a brief explanation of the components of the immune system, including cytokines, and of the mechanisms linking psychological and psychiatric phenomena with changes in immune function (i.e., psychoneuroimmunology). Specific studies on PTSD are then described, including the potential neurobiological and health consequences of these immune changes and, finally, the effects of PTSD treatment on both symptomology and the immune system. While there is a consistent pattern of findings indicating increased immune activation in this condition, there is a paucity of research on the immunological correlates of PTSD, especially compared with the large number of immunological studies on depression and other psychiatric disorders.

Hormonal Contraception and the Brain: Examining Cognition and Psychiatric Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-131
Author(s):  
Stephanie Laird ◽  
Luke J. Ney ◽  
Kim L. Felmingham ◽  
Andrea Gogos
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Oral Contraceptive Pill ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Brain

Background: The combined oral contraceptive pill (OC), containing synthetic estrogens and progestins, is used by millions of women worldwide, yet little is known about its effects on cognition or on psychiatric disorders. The progestin component of OCs determines their androgenicity, i.e. whether the OC has androgen binding components with masculinising effects or antiandrogenic components with feminising effects. Objective: The present review discusses the literature surrounding OC use and cognition in healthy women. Given the important role that sex hormones play in psychiatric disorders, we also consider the influence of OCs on symptoms of schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and indirectly, sleep quality. Results: Research has shown that while there are no differences between OC users and non-users, androgenic OCs enhance visuospatial ability and anti-androgenic OCs enhance verbal fluency. Little is known about OCs effects on other cognitive domains, such as memory and executive function. There is little research examining OC use in schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders. There is some evidence that OC use is associated with depression, however the exact causality of this association remains to be verified. Conclusion: We maintain that future studies need to address several methodological limitations, such as separating OCs based on androgenicity to avoid the masking effects that occur when various OCs are considered as one group. As this review highlights several significant effects of OC use on the brain, the implications of OC use needs to be considered in future research.

Psychiatric Disorders and Future Violent Arrests: A Prospective Study Among Detained Girls

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier F. Colins ◽  
Lore Van Damme
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Psychiatric Comorbidity ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Structured Diagnostic Interview ◽  
A Prospective Study

This study scrutinizes if detained girls with psychiatric disorders were at risk for future violent arrests during adolescence. A structured diagnostic interview was performed to determine the presence of various psychiatric disorders in 313 detained girls. Official juvenile arrest records were collected. With three exceptions that are in need of replication, psychiatric disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, subtypes of conduct disorder), psychiatric disorder categories (e.g., anxiety disorders), and psychiatric comorbidity patterns were not prospectively related to future violent arrests. Our findings suggest that detained girls with psychiatric disorders should not be considered more dangerous than their counterparts without disorders, at least not during adolescence.

scholarly journals Endorphinergic Enhancement Attenuation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) via Activation of Neuro-immunological Function in the Face of a Viral Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Blum ◽  
Edward J. Modestino ◽  
David Baron ◽  
Raymond Brewer ◽  
P. K. Thanos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Adaptive Immunity ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Immunological Function ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

Introduction: Polymorphic gene variants, particularly the genetic determinants of low dopamine function (hy-podopaminergia), are known to associate with Substance Use Disorder and a predisposition to PTSD. Addiction research and molecular genetic applied technologies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have revealed the com-plex functions of brain reward circuitry and its crucial role in addiction and PTSD symptomatology. Discussion: It is noteworthy that Israeli researchers compared mice with a normal immune system with mice lacking adaptive immunity and found that the incidence of PTSD increased several-fold. It is well established that raising endor-phinergic function increases immune response significantly. Along these lines, Blum’s work has shown that D-Phenylalanine (DPA), an enkephalinase inhibitor, increases brain endorphins in animal models and reduces stress in hu-mans. Enkephalinase inhibition with DPA treats Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by restoring endorphin function. The Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) can characterize relevant phenotypes, genetic risk for stress vulnerability vs. resilience. GARS could be used to pre-test military enlistees for adaptive immunity or as part of PTSD management with customized neuronutrient supplementation upon return from deployment. Conclusion: Based on GARS values, with particular emphasis on enhancing immunological function, pro-dopamine regu-lation may restore dopamine homeostasis. Recognition of the immune system as a “sixth sense” and assisting adaptive immunity with Precision Behavioral Management (PBM), accompanied by other supportive interventions and therapies, may shift the paradigm in treating stress disorders.

scholarly journals Differential immune system DNA methylation and cytokine regulation in post-traumatic stress disorder

2011 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 700-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia K. Smith ◽  
Karen N. Conneely ◽  
Varun Kilaru ◽  
Kristina B. Mercer ◽  
Tamara E. Weiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Cytokine Regulation ◽  
Post Traumatic

Spouse similarity for lifetime psychiatric history in the general population

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. GALBAUD DU FORT ◽  
R. C. BLAND ◽  
S. C. NEWMAN ◽  
L. J. BOOTHROYD
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Psychiatric History ◽  
Antisocial Personality ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

Background. Most studies of spouse similarity for psychiatric disorders have focused on clinical samples and are thus limited by selection bias. This study is, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive investigation of spouse similarity for lifetime psychiatric history in a general population sample using standardized diagnostic criteria.Methods. We studied 519 pairs of spouses residing in Edmonton, Canada who completed the Diagnostic Interview Schedule psychiatric interview. In each pair, one spouse belonged to a random subsample of persons who had participated in a large population survey and was re-interviewed. Association between spouses for lifetime DSM-III psychiatric disorders was analysed with bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results. We observed significant spousal association for lifetime presence of affective disorders and for the spectrum of antisocial personality and addiction disorders. Antisocial personality in one spouse was also associated with anxiety disorders in the other spouse, namely post-traumatic stress disorder in wives and phobia in husbands; similarly, drug abuse/dependence in wives was associated with generalized anxiety in husbands and male drug abuse/dependence was associated with female post-traumatic stress disorder. Dysthymia in wives was associated with generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in husbands.Conclusions. The existence of associations between spouses for the presence of psychiatric disorders, either similar or different, has significant implications for both clinicians and researchers. Future research should aim at exploring the aetiological mechanisms of these associations.

scholarly journals Consequences of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: a Brief Overview of Existing Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 01-02
Author(s):  
Ali Khan
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Increase Risk ◽  
Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can lead to multitudes of health consequences, including physical, reproductive and psychological which may be fatal. Consequences include suppression of immune system, increase risk of autoimmune diseases, sleep disturbance and behavioral regression. A body of data accumulated over several decades has demonstrated neurobiological abnormalities in PTSD patients. The authors have reviewed literature on various consequences of PTSD.

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