The STRONG STAR Multidisciplinary PTSD Research Consortium
Abstract
Traumatic stress is a requirement for the development of PTSD. However, the majority of trauma-exposed persons do not develop PTSD. Therefore, examination of the typical effects of a stressor may not identify the critical components of PTSD risk or pathogenesis. One obvious explanation for individual differences in vulnerability to PTSD is that there may be genetic predisposition to susceptibility to precipitating stressors. However, to date, very few genetic polymorphisms for PTSD have been identified. An alternative mechanism that would impart lifelong vulnerability to PTSD is stable alterations in gene expression programmed by exposure to early life stressors. Therefore, the hypothesis to be addressed by this project is that early life exposure to stress or glucocorticoids programs a distinct neurochemical and behavioral phenotype during adulthood characterized by vulnerability to stressors that trigger PTSD. Moreover, we hypothesize that the susceptibility to PTSD can be reversed in adult offspring by anti-depressants that have been reported to reverse the epigenetic changes in expression of selected genes caused by stress. To address this hypothesis, we proposed the following specific aims: 1. To generate and characterize models of early life stress: prenatal stress; prenatal glucocorticoid receptor stimulation; and perinatal stress and perinatal glucocorticoid exposure. 2. To determine adult predictors of vulnerability to stress: as determined by behavioral, physiological, and molecular and neurochemical measures. 3. To determine adult vulnerability to stress: Adult offspring from models developed in Specific Aim 1 are exposed to a model of traumatic stress and then a fear conditioning paradigm. Behavioral, physiological and molecular neurochemical measures are made. 4. To determine the effects of treatments with the SSRI sertraline in adults exposed to early life stress.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA573275
Entities
People
- Alan Frazer
- David Morilak
- Randy Strong
Organizations
- University of Texas at San Antonio