Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Blame it on Genetics and Personal History
How do you predict who will suffer from PTSD after a traumatic event and who will not? Most people who experience a traumatic event actually do not suffer from PTSD: about 56% of people will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime, but only 8% will develop PTSD.
Research studies show that individuals with a variant of two genes – TPH1 and TPH2 – are more likely to develop symptoms. These genes, which control levels of serotonin – a chemical in the nervous system that regulates mood, sleep, and alertness – are altered in PTSD sufferers.
Genetics aside, other factors increase the risk for PTSD:
Having experienced other trauma earlier in life, including childhood abuse or neglect.
Having other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression Lacking a good support system of family and friends Having biological (blood) relatives with mental health problems, including PTSD or depression.
Gender: Because there is more societal pressure on females to take care of others, we are twice as likely than men to suffer from anxiety disorders, such as PTSD.
Personality: People who are worriers, and cannot tolerate unpredictability. These traits may have a biological basis. It’s possible that the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls emotion, is oversensitive in worriers.
Have you been diagnosed with PTSD? If so, it may come as a relief to know that you can blame your symptoms on factors beyond your control.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK49142
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1AD_PTSD_ADULT.shtml
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-study-identifies-first-genes-231248
http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsArticle.aspx?articleid=1130400
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