Twin Study of Biologic Markers for PTSD

描述(由申请者提供)：该项目将利用 独一无二的机会跟进成功调查的起源 创伤后应激障碍患者对突然响亮音调的反应升高 (PTSD)在一群同卵双胞胎中，战斗暴露不协调 越南。拟议的研究将评估另外两个推定的 反映创伤后应激障碍患者杏仁核高活性(Re)的创伤后应激障碍生物标志物。这个 可能要解决的标记来源是：a.)家族性易感性 创伤后应激障碍，与B.)后天创伤后应激障碍征。家族性脆弱性将通过以下方式进行评估 比较非战斗暴露双胞胎的(高危)同卵双胞胎 创伤后应激障碍与非战斗暴露的(低风险)战斗暴露的同卵双胞胎 双胞胎没有创伤后应激障碍。获得的创伤后应激障碍征兆将通过检查 对间PTSD诊断状态因子PTSD与 在战斗暴露的双胞胎中的非创伤后应激障碍)和对内暴露因素(战斗 与非战斗)。 因变量(标记)将包括a。)优势： 经典条件性差异皮肤的获得和消退 电导响应，即“条件性”，以及b.)功能磁学 核磁共振成像(FMRI)杏仁核对“掩蔽性”恐惧表现的反应 面部表情。每个标记都是非侵入性的；可以在 动态基础；已经在以前发表的同行评议的研究中得到证明 显著区分创伤后应激障碍和非创伤后应激障碍受试者；并有能力 从拟议项目中将获得的数据中获得信息。 双胞胎受试者将前往马萨诸塞州综合医院度过一个长周末，接受心理诊断和心理测量评估，而 条件性和功能磁共振成像掩蔽面部程序。统计意义 将通过方差和协方差分析进行检验，这是先验的 T检验和相关分析。预计结果将推动我们的 对生物学的构成与后天本质的理解 创伤后应激障碍的异常及其神经解剖学和发病机制。 结果也可能对预防性筛查人群有影响。 暴露在军事战斗或其他环境中时，发生创伤后应激障碍的高风险 严重的压力源。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will take advantage of the unique opportunity to follow up a successful investigation of the origin of elevated responses to sudden, loud tones in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a population of identical twins discordant for combat exposure in Vietnam. The proposed study will evaluate the origin of two additional putative PTSD biologic markers that reflect amygdala hyper (re)activity in PTSD. The possible marker origins to be addressed are: a.) Familial vulnerability for PTSD, vs. b.) acquired PTSD sign. Familial vulnerability will be evaluated by comparing the (high-risk) non-combat-exposed co-twins of combat-exposed twins with PTSD vs. the (low-risk) non-combat-exposed co-twins of combat-exposed twins without PTSD. Acquired PTSD sign will be evaluated by examining the interaction between a between-pair PTSD Diagnostic status factor PTSD vs. non-PTSD in the combat-exposed twin) and a within-pair Exposure factor (combat vs. non-combat). Dependent variables (markers) will include a.) Strength of acquisition and extinction of a classically conditioned differential skin conductance response, i.e., "conditionability," and b.) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) amygdala response to "masked" presentations of fearful facial expressions. Each marker is non-invasive; can be measured on an ambulatory basis; has been shown in previous, published, peer-reviewed research to significantly differentiate PTSD and non-PTSD subject groups; and is capable of being informed by the data to be obtained in the proposed project. Twin subject pairs will travel to the Massachusetts General Hospital for a long weekend to undergo psychodiagnostic and psychometric evaluation, and the conditionability and fMRI masked faces procedures. Statistical significance will be tested by means of analyses of variance and covariance, a priori t-tests, and correlational analyses. Results are expected to advance our understanding of the constitutional vs. acquired nature of biologic abnormalities in PTSD and the neuroanatomy and pathogenesis of this disorder. Results may also have implications for the prophylactic screening of persons at high risk for the development of PTSD upon exposure to military combat or other severe stressors.