Genetic Basis of PTSD
During a genetic information study of over a million individuals, 43 genes potentially capable of triggering the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were identified. PTSD, characterized by intrusive thoughts, mood changes, and other symptoms, only occurs in 6% of those who have experienced traumatic events.
For a long time, this disorder remained a mystery to specialists, but now researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard have analyzed the genomes of over 1.2 million people and identified 95 regions associated with the risk of PTSD, 80 of which were not previously identified.
«This discovery confirms that heredity plays a key role in PTSD and confirms the presence of a genetic component affecting its complexity,» noted study co-author Caroline Nievergelt. Furthermore, researchers found genetic similarities between PTSD and depression, as well as identified several regions specific to this disorder.
«This is the first step towards understanding the genetic basis of PTSD, confirming previous beliefs about some critical biological factors underlying trauma-related disorders, and pointing to new mechanisms,» explained Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor and study co-author Kerry Ressler.
