Fatty-acid amide hydrolase polymorphisms and post-traumatic stress disorder after penetrating brain injury
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The past few years have seen an increase in the clinical awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of the most disabling and least understood behavioral disorders. Although the biological bases of PTSD are poorly understood, fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity has been linked with arousability and aversive-memories extinction, that is, two key features of PTSD. In this study, we investigated the association between the FAAH genetic polymorphisms and PTSD development and maintenance. We assessed PTSD frequency in a group of male Vietnam war veterans who suffered combat-related penetrating traumatic brain injury, that is, a relatively homogeneous population regarding the nature of the events that led to PTSD. We showed that rs2295633, a single-nucleotide polymorphism of FAAH, was significantly associated with PTSD diagnosis in subjects without lesions in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Moreover, the presence of the C allele was associated with more severe re-experiencing of trauma and more negative reported childhood experiences. In conclusion, our data suggest that FAAH has an important role in PTSD through modulation of aversive memories and point to both a novel therapeutic target and a possible risk marker for this condition.
Date Issued
2012-01-31
Date Acceptance
2011-12-11
Citation
Translational Psychiatry, 2012, 2
ISSN
2158-3188
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Journal / Book Title
Translational Psychiatry
Volume
2
Copyright Statement
This work is
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No
Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license,
visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No
Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license,
visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
License URL
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Psychiatry
endocannabinoids
post-traumatic stress disorder
single-nucleotide polymorphisms
ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM
PREFRONTAL CORTEX
COMBAT VETERANS
INVENTORY
LESIONS
TRAUMA
PTSD
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e75