Studies Adrenal Function in Combat and Wounded Soldiers

Howard, John M.; Olney, John M.; Frawley, John P.; Peterson, Ralph E.; Smith, Lloyd H.; Davis, John H.; Guerra, Serafin; Dibrell, William H.

doi:10.1097/00000658-195503000-00004

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Plasma cortisol levels 1.5 following hydrocortisone administration were 31.2073.88 mg/dl in healthy subjects and 22.2574.07 mg/dl in patients with PTSD (group: F ¼ 2.87, df ¼ 1,18.4, p ¼ 0.11; drug: F ¼ 72.18, df ¼ 1,16.9, po0.001; group Â drug: F ¼ 1.83, df ¼ 1,16.9, p ¼ 0.19), which approximate stress levels of cortisol as reported in previous studies (Howard et al, 1955;Morgan et al, 2000Morgan et al, , 2001. The corresponding plasma ACTH values were 6.7171.01 pl/ml in healthy subjects and 4.8471.10 pl/ml for patients with PTSD (group: F ¼ 0.21, df ¼ 1,21.1, p ¼ 0.65; drug: F ¼ 27.06, df ¼ 1,21.2, po0.001; group Â drug: F ¼ 2.32, df ¼ 1,21.2, p ¼ 0.14).…”

Section: Plasma Cortisol and Acth Levelssupporting

confidence: 78%

Hydrocortisone Impairs Hippocampal-Dependent Trace Eyeblink Conditioning in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Vythilingam

Lawley

Collin³

et al. 2005

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Trace eyeblink conditioning is a hippocampal-dependent associative learning task that could help evaluate hippocampal function in Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since preclinical research has demonstrated that trace eyeblink conditioning can be pharmacologically manipulated by glucocorticoids, this task may shed light on glucocorticoid sensitivity in PTSD. This study assessed baseline and hydrocortisone-mediated changes in trace eyeblink conditioning in patients with PTSD and in healthy controls. A total of 12 patients with PTSD and 12 age-and sex-matched healthy controls participated in a trace eyeblink test 6 h following intravenous administration of 30 mg of hydrocortisone. Spontaneous blink rates were similar between PTSD patients and healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the mean conditioned response between PTSD subjects and healthy controls under placebo conditions. Following hydrocortisone administration, only the PTSD patients demonstrated a significant reduction in conditioned response in contrast to healthy subjects who did not demonstrate any change. Patients with PTSD had increased glucocorticoid sensitivity in the focal brain regions mediating trace eyeblink conditioning.

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Section: Plasma Cortisol and Acth Levelssupporting

confidence: 78%

Hydrocortisone Impairs Hippocampal-Dependent Trace Eyeblink Conditioning in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Vythilingam

Lawley

Collin³

et al. 2005

Neuropsychopharmacol

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“…Shortly after a traumatic event (ie the 'phasic' responses), cortisol secretion is generally enhanced, as was found in soldiers being shelled (Howard et al, 1955), and in women shortly after being raped (Resnick et al, 1995;Yehuda et al, 1998). Paradoxically, basal 24-h cortisol excretion has been reported to be lower in patients with PTSD compared to controls (Mason et al, 1986;Yehuda et al, 1990Yehuda et al, , 1995bYehuda et al, , 1996.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Higher Cortisol Levels Following Exposure to Traumatic Reminders in Abuse-Related PTSD

Elzinga

Schmahl

Vermetten

et al. 2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

296

153

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Animal studies have found that prior stressful events can result in increased reactivity in the HPA-axis. However, baseline function of the HPA-axis has typically been normal or decreased in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The first purpose of this study was to assess cortisol responsivity to traumatic reminders in women with PTSD related to childhood abuse. The second aim was to assess the relationship between stress-induced cortisol levels and neutral and emotional memory. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before, during and after exposure to personalized trauma scripts in abused women with (N ¼ 12) and without current PTSD (N ¼ 12). Memory for neutral and emotional material was assessed immediately after trauma scripts exposure and 3 days later. PTSD patients had 122% higher cortisol levels during script exposure, 69% higher cortisol levels during recovery, and 60% higher levels in the period leading up to the script exposure compared to controls. PTSD symptoms were highly predictive of cortisol levels during trauma script exposure (r ¼ 0.70), but not during periods of rest. Both in PTSD patients and controls, memory consolidation after the trauma scripts was impaired relative to baseline (Po0.001), with no differences between the two groups on memory performance. There was no association between memory performance and cortisol levels. These results are consistent with higher cortisol levels following exposure to traumatic stressors in PTSD.

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“…One MRI study (24) found a relation between deficits in short-term memory and smaller hippocampal volume, as well as higher plasma cortisol levels and smaller hippocampal volume, in patients with Cushing's disease. Stress in both healthy human subjects (25) and soldiers undergoing random artillery bombardment (26) results in an increase in urinary cortisol, suggesting the possibility that exposure to the extreme stress of combat may be associated with damage to the hippocampus.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

MRI-based measurement of hippocampal volume in patients with combat- related posttraumatic stress disorder

Bremner

Randall²,

Scott³

et al. 1995

AJP

1,296

172

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Studies Adrenal Function in Combat and Wounded Soldiers

Cited by 20 publications

References 2 publications

Hydrocortisone Impairs Hippocampal-Dependent Trace Eyeblink Conditioning in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Hydrocortisone Impairs Hippocampal-Dependent Trace Eyeblink Conditioning in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Higher Cortisol Levels Following Exposure to Traumatic Reminders in Abuse-Related PTSD

MRI-based measurement of hippocampal volume in patients with combat- related posttraumatic stress disorder

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