Research Finding Identifies New Biological Pathway for PTSD
March 01, 2011
Kerry J. Ressler, M.D., Ph.D.
Kerry J. Ressler, M.D., Ph.D., NARSAD Scientific Council member at Emory University has discovered a link between PTSD and a specific hormone found throughout the body and brain
NARSAD Scientific Council Member Kerry J. Ressler, M.D., Ph.D., and fellow researchers have found that high blood levels of a hormone produced in response to stress are linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women but not men. The hormone, called PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide), is known to act throughout the body and the brain, modulating central nervous system activity, metabolism, blood pressure, pain sensitivity and immune function.
The identification of PACAP as an indicator of PTSD may lead to new diagnostic tools and eventually, to new treatments for anxiety disorders.
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