How the Neurocircuitry and Genetics of Fear Inhibition May Inform Our Understanding of PTSD
Year: 2010
Type: review
Abstract: Exposure to traumatic events that produce extreme fear and horror is all too common in both military and civilian populations, but not all individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the exposure. What mediates risk and resilience in the development of PTSD and other stress-related psychopathology is of paramount importance to our further understanding of trauma-related psychopathology as well as the development of new treatment approaches. Biological factors, such as genotype and neurobiology, interact with environmental factors, such as childhood background and trauma load, to affect vulnerability and resilience in the aftermath of trauma exposure. One of the core symptoms of PTSD is the inability to control fear, which has led some investigators and clinicians to conceptualize PTSD as a disorder of fear or, more importantly, its inhibition. This review focuses on translational methods that have been used to examine fear conditioning and inhibition of fear in PTSD and summarizes genetic and neurobiological factors related to fear inhibition. The authors also discuss different pharmacological approaches that enhance fear inhibition and may improve treatment outcomes for patients with PTSD.
Source: American Journal of Psychiatry
Authors: Tanja Jovanovic, Kerry J. Ressler
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Emory University, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, H. Lundbeck A/S, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G134501340, G28226525, G327501662, Fear inhibition in posttraumatic stress disorder, Molecular Regulation of GABA(A) Receptor Function in Amygdala, Genetic and Trauma-Related Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) Renewal, GENERAL CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER, Prefrontal Cortex BDNF and Amygdala-Dependent Emotional LearningChallenge Area:, Genetic and Trauma-Related Risk Factors for PTSD: From GWAS to Function, G9000037077, G9000304527
OpenAlex ID: W2109167188