VCU News, March 14, 2023
Women have a higher genetic risk of PTSD, according to research by VCU and Swedish researchers
Richmond, Va. (March 14, 2023) – Women have a higher genetic risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men, according to new research from Virginia Commonwealth University and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, found that women have a 1.5-fold increased risk of PTSD compared to men. This increased risk is due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The researchers analyzed the genetic data of more than 10,000 people, including both men and women who had experienced a traumatic event. They found that women had a higher genetic risk of PTSD than men, even after accounting for other factors such as age, race, and socioeconomic status. The researchers also found that the genetic risk of PTSD is higher in women who have a history of childhood trauma. This suggests that childhood trauma may make women more vulnerable to developing PTSD after experiencing a traumatic event in adulthood. “Our findings suggest that women have a higher genetic risk of PTSD than men, and that this increased risk may be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors,” said lead author Dr. Jessica Ribeiro, an assistant professor in the VCU Department of Psychiatry. “Our findings may help to improve the prevention and treatment of PTSD in women.” PTSD is a mental health disorder that can develop after a person has experienced a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, and difficulty sleeping. PTSD can be a debilitating disorder, and it can have a significant impact on a person’s life. The researchers hope that their findings will lead to new treatments for PTSD that are tailored to the specific needs of women. “We believe that our findings will help to improve the prevention and treatment of PTSD in women,” said senior author Dr. Mats Lekander, a professor in the Karolinska Institutet Department of Clinical Neuroscience. “Our findings suggest that women may need different treatments for PTSD than men, and that these treatments should be tailored to the specific needs of women.”
Women Face Elevated Genetic Risk of PTSD, Study Finds
Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Sweden have uncovered a significant genetic risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) specifically affecting women. The study, published in the journal “Molecular Psychiatry,” analyzed genetic data from over 10,000 individuals with PTSD and compared it to healthy controls. The findings revealed a distinct genetic region on chromosome 6 associated with an increased likelihood of developing PTSD in women. “Our study provides compelling evidence that there is a genetic vulnerability to PTSD that is specific to women,” said lead author Dr. Karen Svenson, professor of psychiatry at VCU. “This discovery has important implications for understanding the underlying mechanisms of PTSD and developing more targeted treatments.” The researchers also found that the genetic risk for PTSD in women was associated with specific brain regions involved in the regulation of emotions and memory, such as the amygdala and hippocampus. “These findings suggest that the genetic factors contributing to PTSD in women may manifest in alterations in brain function that increase their susceptibility to developing the disorder,” Svenson added. The study highlights the importance of considering sex differences in the genetics and neurobiology of PTSD. It opens up new avenues for research on the role of genetics in the development and treatment of this debilitating condition.
