In:
Psychiatric Annals, SLACK, Inc., Vol. 46, No. 9 ( 2016-09), p. 510-518
Abstract:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents a common psychiatric disorder that can emerge after a traumatic life event. Despite a high incidence of trauma exposure (40%–90%) in the general population, only a minority (7%–12%) will eventually develop the disorder. As indicated by twin and family studies, genetic factors are an important contributor to PTSD, suggesting an individual genetic vulnerability to the disorder. Studies exclusively focusing on genetic main effects have shown limited results, likely because environmental factors play a key role in this disorder. Gene and environment interaction (GxE) studies may represent a more promising approach to better understand the pathophysiology of this disorder because they jointly consider the genetic predisposition as well as the environmental trigger. On a molecular level, such GxE and long-lasting effects of these interactions on transcriptional regulation may be mediated by epigenetic modifications. A number of studies suggest that the etiology of PTSD is the result of a complex interplay of genetics, environmental factors, and epigenetic regulation. This article reviews current genetic and epigenetic findings in the field of PTSD, focusing both on candidate gene and genome-wide approaches. Although there has been some initial progress, the field still lacks large-scale studies on the genetic level, but some are currently underway within the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium PTSD. Finally, the reviewed studies support that a combination of different approaches, integrating genetic and epigenetic data, will be necessary to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of PTSD. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2016;46(9):510–518.]
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0048-5713
,
1938-2456
DOI:
10.3928/00485713-20160729-02
Language:
English
Publisher:
SLACK, Inc.
Publication Date:
2016
SSG:
5,21
