PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects people who experience a traumatic event beyond ordinary day-to-day stressors. It’s normal to feel anxious and frightened in the moment, but people with PTSD carry that fear—and their body’s reactions to it—long after their trauma.
PTSD can affect people who have experienced violence, lost a loved one, or lived through a disaster, accident, abuse, or even combat. It can be devastating to those who suffer from it, harming their ability to sleep, giving them vivid, terrifying flashback-like memories of their trauma, causing anxiety attacks and making them feel numb to their surroundings. Doctors use antidepressants and talk therapy to treat the disorder.
Not everyone who suffers a trauma will experience PTSD. About seven or eight out of every 100 people will experience PTSD in their lifetime. About 500,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have screened positive for the condition.
About 8% of people will experience PTSD in their life
Twenty U.S. military veterans die by suicide every day—more than die in combat
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event. It affects how individuals process fear, memory, and stress, often causing symptoms that persist long after the original experience.
PTSD is not simply a reaction to stress. It is a condition in which the brain and body remain in a heightened state of alert, even when the danger is no longer present.
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. However, for those who do, the condition can interfere significantly with relationships, work, and overall quality of life.
PTSD is triggered by exposure to trauma, but not everyone who experiences trauma develops the disorder. This suggests that PTSD is influenced by a combination of factors, including:
- The nature and severity of the traumatic event
- Individual biological differences, including genetics
- Previous experiences with stress or trauma
- Support systems and environment after the event
PTSD is also closely linked to the field of epigenetics—the interaction between genes and the environment. While trauma acts as the initial trigger, biological changes in the brain may determine how long symptoms persist and how severe they become.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
Symptoms of PTSD can vary, but they generally fall into several categories:
Intrusive Memories
- Flashbacks or reliving the traumatic event
- Distressing dreams or nightmares
- Unwanted, recurring thoughts about the trauma
Avoidance
- Avoiding places, people, or situations that trigger memories
- Withdrawing from activities or conversations related to the trauma
Changes in Mood and Thinking
- Feelings of hopelessness or emotional numbness
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Trouble remembering aspects of the traumatic event
Avoidance
- Being easily startled or constantly on edge
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
- Irritability or anger outbursts
- Anxiety or panic attacks
These symptoms can persist for months or years and may worsen without treatment.
PTSD Research at the Lieber Institute
PTSD is a fascinating case for the field of epigenetics, the intersection of genes and the environment, since all people with the disorder have experienced an environmental trigger at the start of their illness. Many of the samples in the Institute’s postmortem brain collection come from people who had been diagnosed with PTSD, giving scientists an unprecedented look into the biological roots and effects of the disorder.
Lieber scientists are specifically studying fear regulation, a phenomenon seen in patients with PTSD and anxiety. They’re examining the brain circuits involved in fear by first looking at animal models and then applying their observations to Lieber’s collection of postmortem brains. They’ve found that animals with fear regulation problems seem to experience deficits of inhibitory neuronal communication in their fear circuits.
That is, the neurons that could tamp down their fear related feelings or memories don’t fire perfectly. By identifying specific neurons tied to fear or excitability, the scientists hope to identify potential drug targets that could help anxious or traumatized people recover.
