Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD.
So what might be boosting the resilience of the folks who experience trauma and don’t suffer from PTSD?
According to Israel Liberzon, MD, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, genetic factors might play a role.
When combined with trauma in early childhood, a tiny DNA change (or a mutation), called a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), in a gene called ADRB2 could help predict whether or not a person will be more resilient (or more susceptible) to PTSD later in life.
Inside of our cells, ADRB2 plays a role in how adrenaline affects our muscles and organs. During high stress or exciting situations, our adrenal glands produce this hormone. This is a natural part of the body’s stress response system.
But for some folks with PTSD, the body gets stuck in a reactive, hyper-aroused state, and ADRB2 might be to blame.
Dr. Liberzon’s research team wanted to look at the associations between adult PTSD development, a history of childhood trauma, and the actual genes of their candidates, specifically ADRB2.
So they looked at people who fit into specific categories for trauma – those who had been exposed to specific types of traumatic events as adults (either military deployment or nondeployment related), in addition to one (or more) out of 4 categories of adverse childhood events (ACEs), including physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or witnessing violence between parents.
First researchers took saliva samples from 810 Ohio National Guard members to get access to their DNA. Then they compared those samples to a list of genes that were already suspected to play a role in PTSD.
They found that soldiers without this SNP in the ADRB2 gene were also those more vulnerable to PTSD.
Dr. Liberzon also looked at a population of folks from the Grady Trauma Project in Atlanta Georgia, and they found the same correlation between the lack of the ADRB2 ‘mutation’ and vulnerability to PTSD.
But it’s the folks with the SNP who had seemed to have some protection against PTSD. When they had one copy of the gene with the base change, they were found to be resilient against developing PTSD as adults.
Now, we all have two copies of our genes (one we inherit from mom and one from dad). So when folks had both a copy from mom and a copy from dad, researchers found them to be even more resilient as adults.
This is the first study linking ADRB2 with childhood trauma exposure and the incidence of PTSD, and one caveat is that the researchers were only looking at folks who’d experienced trauma. It might be interesting to see the results of an age-matched control group.
If you’d like to read the details of Dr. Liberzon’s work, you can find the study published online in JAMA Psychiatry (August 27, 2014).
And if you’re looking to get in on some of the latest information in trauma therapy, you can click right here to check out our Rethinking Trauma webinar series – there’s been a lot of new thinking in trauma therapy, and so much in the past year alone, that we’ve gathered together the experts who can share it with you.
Earlier this month, I shared with you another study that also looked at what a saliva sample might reveal about a genetic predisposition for developing PTSD. It seems this is an area of research that is attracting quite a bit of attention.
So now I’m curious to know what you think about this work. How do you think this might affect your client who is suffering from PTSD? Might it help their recovery if they knew that they were more genetically prone to experience it?
Looking at Dr Joe Dispenza’s work in combination with this revelation has me more excited that I CAN truly heal from this condition (CPTSD).
I would like to offer an additional thought that no one has mentioned. I firmly believe that with consistent and deep intent one can heal not only through learning about and experiencing healthy attachment as an adult but that by truly connecting to our”inner resource” (higher self) that it is possible to modify our DNA. Think about “spontaneous remission”–it is most probably an instant change in someones DNA. A far out concept but one I truly believe in!
Thank you so much Ruth for passing on the latest research as you do. It helps us to open our minds to infinite possibilities for healing!
Dear Farah: Depak Chopra new book Super Genes speaks to you theory on spontaneous changes with in the DNA. As an alternative integrative, holistic, practitioner I know of multiple modalities that can influence DNA and Emotional outcomes.Furthermore, epigenetic studies indicate that while DNA maybe the the hardware that software exists that you can reprogram that may alter the DNA and thus someone’s ones health.
I am not terribly in favor of research like this, since it could be used to force some people to have higher health care cost or to be discriminated against. The thing about it of course is that most people are not convinced about how any event we experience can get somatic ally encoded into the body epigenetically, so this sort of research has to continue so people are convinced. I myself have tried new therapies and the one that I believe addresses trauma the best is the work of Brent Baum.
Dear Ruth: The University of Oregon has been researching the role of temperament as a genetic based phenomena for years. It is interesting the the gene research at U of Mi in Ann Arbor is also being involved in gene research. Based on some of these studies and the earlier work of Stella Chase and her husband relative to Temperament and “Poorness of Fit” , the genetic effect and the environment in which the child grows is crucial in the developmental growth stages and later adolescent and adulthood. Research of this nature is one piece of the puzzle of the complexity of the nature of being human. It is an exciting time to be involved as a spectator role of this endeavor.
The subject of resilience has always fascinated me. To hear that there is a possibility of tracking it through DNA is exciting and remarkable. I look forward to reading/ hearing more on this subject.
What a tremendous breakthrough! The Army should be looking over your shoulders to get the latest.
Might this study and similar ones eventually be used to screen soldiers?
If we can predict PTSD with such certainty, we should not send soldiers without this SNP in the ADRB2 gene to areas where they are more vulnerable to be exposed to trauma.
This would reduce the cost of health care for soldiers returning with PTSD and it seems that
the social misery resulting from PTSD would be reduced as well. (Marriage break-ups, violent behavior, drug abuse, etc.)
Regards, J.
I totally agree with your comment, particularly since no one is doing justice in treating our returning soldiers!
A little knowledge is a very dangerous thing. Although neuroscience is progressing rapidly, our understanding is as yet incomplete since all findings are associations and/ or from animal studies, where it’s difficult to extrapolate the data to human. Some wisdom and relationship with the patient are required in their care. For some naming a reason/cause that is beyond their control, eg their genes would help them, while for others, that can hinder recovery by providing an easy excuse.
No, I don’t think it will make a difference whether someone knows it is genetic, or not. The fact still remains that they have it, and they still have to deal with it. Putting a name on it, saying that it not their fault, does not really equate with calming the mind. I think the neurofeedback might be the best way to help these individuals, by letting them learn to calm their own minds. Just knowing it is genetic does not wipe away any of the traumas, or fix anything.
Fascinating of course. How still do we address taking back the toxins, injuries, violence of feckless living?
I believe the most important aspect of dealing with PTSD lies in the resulting relationships that individuals with PTSD try to maintain as they seek to love and be loved while maintaining peace of mind. Therefore it is important for those who relate to the person(s) with PTSD to understand how to best relate and manage the boundaries. This info will be helpful to promote understanding and provide tools to best help reduce or eliminate the effects of PTSD in relationships.
Having routine DNA tests for accident victims might provide impetus to initiate PTSD interventions earlier in the recovery phase.
Hi Ruth,
Don’t forget that at conception, it is the chemical or biological, call whatever you call, reaction taking place and the condition of that time and situation lay down the foundation of what to expect. That’s why, I think, there is difference from sibling to sibling from the same parents. To make it more complex, don’t forget the conditions under which the child grows. So please, as a Scientist I will state, it is good to carry out research to understanding this phenomenon that varies from humankind to humankind, but please avoid conclusions that are based on, we suspect. Thanks
I’m curious if the study found that early trauma predicted the troublesome gene expression or if there was not correlation there as that might speak to the role of epigenetics.
Fascinating. I am interested in pre-trauma genetics! Wondering about predispositions and identifying these early.
This and the Rethinking Trauma webinar series is very valuable to me as a survivor of early childhood trauma, as well as later trauma and PTSD. This idea of genetic predisposition to PTSD helps me make sense of how I reacted to what happened to me, particularly because my mother talked of having PTSD from being a small child who was present during the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Neuroprogramming and the PTSD-DNA connection is very new to me, but both of them do give me hope that one day I can be free of the lifelong grip of trauma and PTSD. Thank you so much!
It seems to me that we are still at the “chicken or the egg” stage in much of this research. Does the early abuse alter the expression of the genes or does it change the genes. It is such an exciting area. Not surprising that we will have more questions than answers for awhile. It all offers hope for both prevention and treatment. I think my clients for the most part are relieved to hear that their struggles with PTSD are not because they did something wrong or that they are hopeless.
This is confusing…how about the children who initially develop PTSD due to trauma. A study in Atlanta, GA of school children living in an area of poverty and violence showed the incidence of PTSD was as high or sometimes higher (40%) than the veterans coming back from Iraq/Afghanistan.
I believe that there is evidence that trauma in childhood can influence gene expression and result in genetic mutations. This belongs to the study of epigenetics.
Like Sarah, I would be concerned about telling a client with PTSD that it was chiefly caused by a genetic disposition. This would invite a Victim script with a sense of hopelessness that they could do nothing to overcome their “disability”.
It must be very difficult to discern the relevant factors that affect resilience and response to trauma in a particular person. Which came first – the genetic mutation or the adverse childhood events? In Transactional Analysis we see that the scripting, accompanied by genetic changes, may be trans-generational and therefore deeply embedded in their family’s culture.
“The scripting, accompanied by genetic changes, may be trans-generational and therefore deeply embedded in their family’s culture.” That resonated very strongly with me, because over time I discovered that the childhood abuse I experienced was part of my family’s sick legacy. While this discovery initially came as a shock, and made me feel trapped and hopeless, eventually I realized that it was not a damning fact, but one that could help me recognize that what happened to me was not my fault, and then it became something to overcome.
This is great news to know if someone is more vulnerable, but even greater help is what would support them to deal with trauma better, or help them recover more easily.
That insgiht would have saved us a lot of effort early on.
I have done psychotherapy with a lot of children over the last 15 years, and also with adults who bear the scars of being traumatized as children. Both my experience and my dissertation research informed me that people who are traumatized as children are highly likely to have PTSD. Molestation seems to result in the worst outcome.
Research on resilience has generally been done on individuals with good attachment. These individuals generally stand up pretty well to a single later trauma. Each adult trauma suffered, however, seems to result in a higher propensity for PTSD. Five discrete traumas seems to result in nearly 100% PTSD.
In my own research, I wanted to negate the good attachment as a factor – so I studied individuals in their 50’s who had been severely abused. Most of them were in bad shape – when sexual abuse was an issue, they were dissociative, even DID. My population was very small so one can’t generalize.
On the other hand, according to the resilience research, individuals who grow up with good enough parenting, with parents who believe their children, fare better – even if they are molested.
? Genetics ? Is it possible that the gene variation is a result of abuse?
Just a few thoughts,
Dr. Kunster
Dr. Kunster, thank you very much for your comments. Although I have long been in recovery for childhood sexual abuse, it was only recently that I realized–after a traumatic event two years ago, which induced PTSD–that I have also been suffering from PTSD my whole life. Before then, I thought there was just something wrong with me, and I had normalized my reactions, as well as the PTSD caused by the earliest traumas.
My family culture lacked the attachments, good parenting, and being believed, which contribute to resiliency. Indeed, I was effectively completely alone with the trauma and PTSD until I finally had a term for my experience, “childhood sexual abuse,” about 18 years ago.
Sometimes, when I look back on what I went through, and how well I have survived, what I have managed to do despite the trauma and PTSD, I am amazed at my resiliency. Other times, I feel like I am still at the very beginning of recovery.
Yes, I knew this before the studies. It is what has happened to me. I personally have experienced this predisposition… and I see it in many of my clients. Thank you for sharing the research and tests so now it can be validated. I also feel this is related to epigentics. My deep internal voice and guidance, intuition and psyche and years of study, guided me to realize this truth. I have been practicing many spiritual, emotional and creative rituals and lifestyle to manage all of the outcomes of my trauma. I also pass them on to my clients. It is my life story .. and history… Acceptance, minduflness, pray, creativity, energy work,EFT, guided imagery, etc. exercise and food choices. Not all one size fits all in this journey to find the inner peace that trauma denies. Your site is the powerul in a world that does not understand the outcomes of trauma.
I love that you mention creative rituals as part of healing, because I have not seen it noted anywhere else. I learned this recovery tool almost by accident, and found it to be immensely helpful and meaningful. For instance, I held a funeral for the imaginary father that I had wanted and deserved, the one who should have protected me, but who is the one who caused me the most harm. I am very interested in ritual as part of healing, and feel that since I have recognized the lifelong PTSD that I had normalized until recently, it is time to do this meaningful work again.
Thank you so much for this Ruth. I had no idea about this study and I find myself stunned to think that a genetic predisposition may be identified for some people suffering from PTSD. I guess I’m wondering whether my clients may feel an even greater sense of helplessness at the thought of this being something inherent in their biological make-up, as a large part of the (later) recovery process is around them taking positive steps for themselves, supporting self-agency and healthy habits etc. Of course this information may also help remove the devastating sense of shame and self-blame which can accompany PTSD. A great deal of my work is with children experiencing the very ‘early life trauma’ which it appears may predispose them to PTSD in later life… I am wondering how these new studies will inform my work… big questions for me!
I have also noticed how the same traumatic event has a different impact on people, even on people that are related to each other. There must be some predisposition to PTSD in the make-up of some individuals to account for this reaction. Epigenetics however has given some hope that a predisposition does not mean that the gene will come in action. It does mean however, that the more we know (like in this study) about the vulnerabilty of some individuals, the better we can prepare to avoid possible trauma (e.g. not going to war) and in the event of trauma, treat the individual with more and immediate care and understanding.
Thank you for remembering to mention epigenetics, as I was about to. In addition to considering this factor, we also have to look at the developmental stage of a child when looking at abuse.At very early stages, the ego is not sufficiently strong to process what has happened and the trauma remains unprocessed for years until the person is ego-strong enough to even remember what happened; meanwhile the abuse has been having its effects on the developing mind. There is a stronger probability for adult PTSD responses, compounding the original injury.
I was diagnosed with PTSD while I was at the comabt stress clinic in F.O.B. Anaconda (Iraq). They sent me home and told me that I can rejoin in 2 years. Now that I have made it home they conveniently lost all records of diagnosing me with PTSD or prescribing me with Seraquil for sleep. The sleep problems still come and go from time to time. I just want help getting my records so that I can get my medical privileges back. I’m just looking for help figuring this problem out. Thank you!
I agree that this presents a strong possibility – as an indigenous Maori psychotherapist, “whakapapa”, (or blood lines) are very significant in PTSD treatment as it contributes to the way Māori people identify as a collective (rather than an individual) in this physical world. It encompasses spiritual practices, specific tribal beliefs & the capacity to maintain effective inter-dependent relationships with others, the land, the sea & the sky. These things are the most significant protective factors for Māori people in trauma recovery – that which establishes & resonates secure attachment & therefore better recovery outcomes.
Nga mihi mahana ki a koutou 🙂
Thank you very much for sharing the Māori perspective on community/health. These interconnected states are two of the vital aspects of life robbed from us by the “modern” society–built on individualism and love of money. My family of origin is so dysfunctional that it provided virtually no attachment or security, and the same goes for the American culture, so my recovery from trauma and PTSD has been late and slow. People identifying as a collective, as an interconnected group…what a concept.
I so wish we could meet in real life and hug. I’m so sorry for your loss. It is so completely uniafr. I want to SHOUT that in no way am I comparing my situation to yours as I’m going through a divorce with my husband (which is an ending of CHOICE), but I can so relate to the man BEFORE the PTSD. BEFORE the war took his soul. I miss that man so much and am struggling with accepting I will never ever see him again, even though he insists he’s still there. Our divorce will be final this Wednesday and I’m more upset about having to grieve the loss of the man I thought I married as opposed to just the marriage. Just wanted to let you know someone is thinking about you.