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Status of Glucocorticoid Alterations in Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder
Author(s) -
Yehuda Rachel
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04979.x
Subject(s) - glucocorticoid , traumatic stress , neuroscience , fkbp5 , epigenetics , psychology , cognition , medicine , clinical psychology , glucocorticoid receptor , biology , gene , genetics
The current status of glucocorticoid alterations in post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be described in this chapter. Emphasis will be placed on data that suggest that at least some glucocorticoid‐related observations in PTSD reflect pretraumatic glucocorticoid status. Recent observations have provided some evidence that pretraumatic glucocorticoid alterations may arise from genetic, epigenetic, and possibly other environmental influences that serve to increase the likelihood of developing PTSD following trauma exposure, as well as modulate attendant biological alterations associated with its pathophysiology. Current studies in the field of PTSD employ glucocorticoid challenge strategies to delineate effects of exogenously administered glucocorticoids on neuroendocrine, cognitive, and brain function. Results of these studies have provided an important rationale for using glucocorticoid strategies in the treatment of PTSD.