A recent study of United States Marines in Molecular Psychiatry found that there may be a genetic marker for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a reaction after a traumatic event, such as military combat and rape. It can lead to debilitating anxiety, flashbacks, sleep issues and other problems.
“As all people are vulnerable to experiencing traumatic events in life, it is difficult to predict who will be more likely to go on to develop PTSD,” said Mayer Bellehsen, PhD, director of the Unified Behavioral Health Center for Military Veterans and their Families in Bay Shore. “However, as this study demonstrates, there are promising avenues of inquiry examining the use of biomarkers to detect people at risk for developing PTSD. In turn, this could allow for improved prevention and treatment of PTSD.”
