Biomarkers of Risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Abstract
The objective of this project was to study genetic and neuroendocrine biomarkers of risk in a carefully assessed population of military personnel who recently returned from war zones. Baseline and 12-month follow-up assessment data were collected on behavioral and psychosocial measures. Major findings were that the COMT Val/Met polymorphism, interacted with combat exposure to predict diagnoses of PTSD; specifically individuals with the Met allele appeared more sensitive to higher levels of combat trauma exposure. In the sample as a whole, cortisol concentrations did not differ between participants with a current diagnosis of PTSD and those without PTSD. However, among those who had a past significant trauma, there was a significant between groups effect of current PTSD (p<.05) after controlling for significant effects of past PTSD symptoms, those with current PTSD had blunted diurnal cortisol concentrations. In addition, after controlling for covariates, there was a main effect of COMT (p<.005), such that individuals homozygous for the Met allele had higher overall cortisol concentrations, particularly morning and nighttime concentrations. There was also a significant effect of a polymorphism in FKBP5, a glucocorticoid regulating gene, such that those homozygous for the C allele had elevated evening cortisol concentrations(p<05).0
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA546739
Entities
People
- Audrey Tyrka