Mechanism behind PTSD patients' neuronal reaction to stress explained

To mimic the stress response that triggers PTSD, the scientists exposed the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to the stress hormone hydrocortisone, a synthetic version of the body's own cortisol that is used as part of the "fight-or-flight" response.

"The addition of stress hormones to these cells simulates biological effects of combat, which allows us to determine how different gene networks mobilize in response to stress exposure in brain cells," explained one of the researchers.

Using gene expression profiling and imaging, the scientists found that neurons from individuals with PTSD were hypersensitive to this pharmacological trigger. The scientists also were able to identify the specific gene networks that responded differently following exposure to the stress hormones.

"What's really exciting about our findings is the opportunities they offer for accelerating the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD,"the researchers noted. "Importantly, having a robust stem cell model provides an ideal avenue to drug screening 'in the dish,' even across diverse patient populations."

Reference:

Rachel Yehuda et al,Modeling gene × environment interactions in PTSD using human neurons reveals diagnosis-specific glucocorticoid-induced gene expression,Nature Neuroscience, DOI10.1038/s41593-022-01161-y