Endogenous regulation of a particular gene is associated with a reduced risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Traumatic experiences such as accidents can be profoundin memorybe anchored in a person and cause such symptoms even years later. In particular, traumatic memories of the experience are less severe. Researchers at the University of Basel conducted a study on this matter and published their results in the journal PNAS.
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The stress hormone cortisol plays an important role in regulating these memory processes, as a number of studies show. The research team conducted the study under the leadership of Professor Dominique de Quervain at the University of Basel. In their current project, the scientists took a closer look at the genes involved in cortisol signaling. Above all, they determined the extent to which these genes are subject to chemical regulation by methyl groups on the DNA molecule. Vanja Vukojevic, one of the study's lead authors, analyzed DNA methylation in two groups of people affected by trauma. It involved 463 survivors of the Ugandan civil war and 350 survivors of the Rwandan genocide.
In both groups, those who showed greater regulation of the NTRK2 gene had a lower risk of developing PTSD. The researchers were also able to rule out with a high degree of certainty that the trauma itself led to altered regulation of this gene. So they found no connection between the severity of the trauma and the extent of DNA methylation. This suggests that the latter already existed before the traumatic experience. Several fundamental studies have already shown that the NTRK2 gene plays a key role in memory formation.
Study results
In thecurrent studyPeople with stronger regulation of this gene had fewer traumatic memories. However, the researchers also found that the mechanism regulating DNA methylation at the NTRK2 gene is also related to memory in 568 non-traumatized people. Those with greater methylation of the gene performed worse when it came to remembering images they had previously seen. They also showed altered brain activity in regions important for memory during the tests. These results suggest that increased regulation of the NTRK2 gene reduces memory formation.
As a result, traumatic experiences are not as firmly anchored in the memory. Additionally, this can reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. The researchers hope that this mechanism will contribute to the development of new therapies that can also be helpful for existing PTSD. This can prevent recurring unpleasant memories from further consolidating the traumatic memory.
