In past blogs, I’ve looked at how to help alleviate stress symptoms and how stress can affect the body, but we haven’t yet talked about who develops traumatic symptoms.
It is well known that people don’t react to stressors the same way. When faced with a potentially traumatic event, why do some people develop trauma symptoms while others don’t?
There are many possible reasons for this.
Stress resilience, a strong support network, immediate addressing of all physical and psychological needs. Perhaps even genetic factors?
Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH, while at the University of Michigan, led a team of researchers who recently investigated the genetic makeup of people with PTSD.
While previous studies (like Rachael Yehuda et al.’s 2009 Biology Psychiatry study) had hypothesized a link between an altered immune system and PTSD, Dr. Galea’s team went further and identified a chemical reaction (DNA methylation) that may be involved.
DNA methylation is a process that occurs when methyl groups are added to DNA, generally turning off a gene and inhibiting production of the protein that the gene encodes.
100 people from the Detroit area gave samples of their blood. All of the participants had witnessed potentially traumatic events and 23 of them were diagnosed with PTSD.
After examining more than 14,000 genes, the researchers found that a number of genes involved with regulating the immune system were more active (had less DNA methylation) in individuals suffering from PTSD, leading to immune system dysfunction.
In the PTSD group, they also found increased methylation in genes linked to the growth of brain cells, suggesting that there are decreased brain growth activities.
This study supports a model for PTSD where exposure to a traumatic event changes gene expression, leading to changes in immune system activity that leads to the disorder.
You can read more about this study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This is an early study, but very promising.
More research is needed before we receive definitive answers, yet we’re well on our way. Every study gives us more opportunities to realize new trauma treatments.
Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.
I find this study very interesting …My sister who passsed away October 2017 suffered from PTSD . She died of CJD .The prions change the cells malfunction affecting the nerves system , immune system and the brain ……Could there be a link between trauma …PSTD …in the cases of CJD ???
Fantastic research and it may undercover so many possibilities to uncovering ,heal so many issues and deceases ……
This is a fascinating and enlightening study. Perhaps it will lead to more definitive treatment methods in the future.
I think it is exciting that new possibilities are continuing to be discovered.
Even in retirement with only a few clients plus serving as a volunteer Coast Guard Chaplain support, I want to learn and grow as these findings are shared.
After a Rairsach test , I was told I had “float ing” anxiet y. Inh my late sixties, I was told it was
Endogenous Anxiety, and I would alw ays have it.
I am a retired music professor. Ihad just assumeda it was inherited, since botyh of my
kparents had some uh;nusual traits. I have been sondering about which parent it was, or
both that passed it on.
Thank you for your interesting blog. I have a great interest in the seemingly strong connection between PTSD and substance abuse. Seeing that not everyone who experiences severe trauma develops PTSD and not everyone who drinks or uses a drug develops substance abuse. Yet a significant number who do develop PTSD also go on to become substance abusers. Generally this has be explained it is a self medicating tactic. That may well be but my question is could there possibly be a genetic link between individuals who are vulnerable to both? Has this been explored?
Thanks
Bill
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The work of Dr. Allan Schore supports Georgeanna’s comments. The neurobiology of the newborn is experience dependent. The growth of the brain structures require secure attachment interactions with the mother which research shows impacts the mental and emotional health for the rest of the lifespan. Attachment stress creates levels of cortisol in the baby’s growing brain which impact brain growth at critical times in the first two years. This stress without timely repair through soothing does not support regulation of the system and in turn the child’s growth towards resiliance to sustain further stressors in a balanced way. Are the levels of DNA methylation subject to early experiences/stress.?
Perhaps the full study would address this, but:
how do the researchers know that it was the exposure to the traumatic event per se that resulted in decreased DNA methylation? We know that not all people exposed to the same or similar traumatic events develop PTSD – some people seem to be more vulnerable, and it has been hypothesized that early attachment experiences may create resilience (or, early failures in attachment create vulnerability). What if all or some of the markers these researchers are seeing are actually changes in DNA expression that resulted from earlier experiences, that ALSO contribute to an individual’s vulnerability to developing PTSD in response to an event?
As I read your blog post, I thought about Dr. Bruce Lipton’s work on epigenetics and was happy to see Maarten’s comment about the same thing. The epigenome, which regulates gene expression, is highly influenced by the environment. See also Dawson Church’s work. Those working energetically, practicing EFT and Energy Psychology, are seeing good results with veterans with PTSD