Open AccessA Review of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Obesity
Author(s) -
Kanaklakshmi Masodkar,
Justine A. Johnson,
Michael J. Peterson
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
primary care companion to cns disorders/the primary care companion for cns disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2155-7772
pISSN - 2155-7780
DOI - 10.4088/pcc.15r01848
Subject(s) - obesity , medicine , psychological intervention , population , posttraumatic stress , incidence (geometry) , bipolar disorder , clinical psychology , psychiatry , bioinformatics , psychology , cognition , environmental health , biology , physics , optics
The incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity are on the rise, and evidence continues to support the observation that individuals who have symptoms of PTSD are more likely to develop obesity in their lifetime. The incidence of obesity in individuals with PTSD, including war veterans, women, and children exposed to trauma, is not solely attributable to psychotropic medications, but actual pathophysiologic mechanisms have not been fully delineated. Additionally, there are no studies to date demonstrating that obese individuals are predisposed to developing PTSD compared to the general population. This review explores the pathogenic pathways common to both PTSD and obesity, which include inflammation, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, cellular structures, and neuroendocrine activation.