Relationship of cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine levels with war-induced posttraumatic stress disorder in fathers and their offspring

Abstract

Objective: To compare afternoon serum/plasma levels of hormones in four groups: (A) veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (B) offspring of PTSD veterans, (C) veterans without PTSD, and (D) offspring of non-PTSD veterans. Methods: Evaluation consisted of a semi-structured interview for axis I and II diagnoses, followed by measurement of afternoon serum cortisol and plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine by ELISA (Diametra) and LND (LDN Labor Diagnostika Nord GmbH & Co. KG) respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Student t, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and nonparametric Mann-Whitney tests. Results: One hundred and sixty-eight volunteers were investigated across the four groups. The groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics, war experience and traumatization, and psychiatric and medical conditions other than PTSD (group A was similar to group C and group B was similar to group D). Between-groups comparisons did not yield statistically significant differences. Post-hoc analyses revealed significant differences in afternoon cortisol level between the offspring of veterans with current/past history of PTSD and the offspring of veterans without a history of PTSD. Conclusion: We only found decreased cortisol levels in offspring of veterans after rearranging the groups to reflect previous history of PTSD. Further studies are required to investigate the relationship between cortisol levels and the transgenerational effects of trauma and parental PTSD.

Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms

“…Observations in offspring whose parents were exposed to other traumatic experiences accorded with these findings. For example, lower cortisol levels were observed in the adult offspring of combat veterans with PTSD compared to offspring of combat veterans without PTSD.…”

Trauma, Traumatization and Adverse Environments in War and Armed- Conflict

“…Traumatic brain injury, a relatively common injury experienced by service members across both deployed and non-deployed combat environments, may even constitute an occupational hazard [24]. In groups chosen for similarity in relation to demographic characteristics and affective profiles, war experience and traumatization, and psychiatric and medical conditions other than PTSD, the altered levels of cortisol in offsprings of veterans did not follow any systematic pattern [25]. It was found that depressiveness and anxiety associated with combat war zone deployment present powerful predictors of PTSD symptoms, c-reactive protein and hair cortisol which were shown to be correlated both with each other and with depressiveness and PTSD symptoms [26].…”

A Pharmacokinetic Model of a Tissue Implantable Cortisol Sensor

“…Cortisol also regulates lipolysis and proteolysis for energy and biosynthesis, and has been implicated in memory processes and wound healing . Cortisol is an important biomarker for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease, and other conditions. Hence, an implantable biosensor capable of real time monitoring of cortisol concentration would be of significant value for diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, as well as general scientific research.…”

“…In Cushing's syndrome, high concentrations of cortisol can have several consequences, including muscle weakness, an irregular fat distribution, hypertension, dermatological issues, and higher mortality rates . Other conditions that may be associated with abnormal cortisol levels and production include obesity, memory consolidation, chronic and acute stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia …”