The interaction of BDNF Va166Met, PTSD, and child abuse on psychophysiological reactivity and HPA axis function in a sample of Gulf War Veterans

JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

卷:235

Article

Young, Dmitri A.^1,2,3  Neylan, Thomas C.^1,2,3  O'Donovan, Aoife^1,2,3  Metzler, Thomas^1,2,3  Richards, Anne^1,2,3  Ross, Jessica A.²  Inslicht, Sabra S.^1,2,3 

[1] San Francisco VA Healthcare Syst, 4150 Clement St 116P, San Francisco, CA 94121 USA

[2] Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept Psychiat, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA

[3] Vet Hlth Res Inst, NCIRE, San Francisco, CA 94121 USA

关键词: Va166Met;    PTSD;    Child abuse;    Dexamethasone suppression test;    Psychophysiological response;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.004

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Introduction: While the BDNF Va166Met polymorphism has been linked to various psychological disorders, limited focus has been on its relationship to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and early traumas such as child abuse. Therefore, we assessed whether Va166Met was associated with fear potentiated psychophysiological response and HPA axis dysfunction and whether PTSD status or child abuse history moderated these outcomes in a sample of Veterans. Methods: 226 and 173 participants engaged in a fear potentiated acoustic startle paradigm and a dexamethasone suppression test (DST) respectively. Fear conditions included no, ambiguous, and high threat conditions. Psychophysiological response measures included electromyogram (EMG), skin conductance response (SCR), and heart rate. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ) were used to assess PTSD status and child abuse history respectively. Results: met allele carriers exhibited greater SCR magnitudes in the no and ambiguous threat conditions (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively). met carriers with PTSD exhibited greater physiological response magnitudes in the ambiguous (SCR, p < 0.001) and high threat conditions (SCR and heart rate, both p <= 0.005). Met carrier survivors of child abuse exhibited blunted heart rate magnitudes in the high threat condition (p < 0.01). Met allele carries with PTSD also exhibited greater percent cortisol suppression (p < 0.005). Limitations: Limitations included small sample size and the cross-sectional nature of the data. Conclusions: The Va166met may impact PTSD susceptibility differentially via enhanced threat sensitivity and HPA axis dysregulation. Child abuse may moderate Va166Met's impact on threat reactivity. Future research should explore how neuronal mechanisms might mediate this risk.

【 授权许可】

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