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Murad H. Cultural stress: The undiagnosed epidemic of our time. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2023; 21:221-225. [PMID: 37100716 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Global technologies that have made the world more interconnected have also, inadvertently, amplified the forces of stress that are now with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The accumulated impact of this stress I call cultural stress anxiety syndrome and call on integrative medicine practitioners to recognize that it is exacerbating whatever acute stressors are also present in our patients' lives. In this Commentary, I outline seven major components of cultural stress (time pressure, digital intrusion, digital dependency, isolation, sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and uncertainty), describe their health consequences, and finally, offer cultural stress-specific remedies I have utilized in my own practice, along with studies that affirm their efficacy. My hope is that we, as integrative medicine practitioners who are cognizant of the role that stress plays in disease development, will more fully appreciate the added impact of cultural stress, and advise our patients on the importance of proactive stress management. Please cite this article as: Murad H. Cultural stress: the undiagnosed epidemic of our time. J Integr Med. 2023; Epub ahead of print.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Murad
- Inclusive Health Medical Group, Los Angeles, CA 90245, USA.
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2
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Actigraphic sleep monitoring in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): A meta-analysis. J Affect Disord 2023; 320:450-460. [PMID: 36174789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Sleep disruption is a common complaint among patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Modern technology of activity monitoring (actigraphy) enables extended, objective, unobtrusive recording and measuring of daytime and nighttime activity. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the actigraphic sleep patterns in PTSD compared with healthy controls. METHODS We searched through seven electronic databases from inception to July 2022. Only case-control studies comparing rest-activity variables measured by actigraphy devices between clinically diagnosed PTSD patients and healthy individuals were included. RESULTS We identified 12 eligible studies comparing 323 PTSD patients and 416 healthy controls. Using a random-effects model, we showed that PTSD patients have significantly lower sleep efficiency (SMD: -0.26, 95 % CI = -0.51 to -0.004, p < .05, I2 = 29.31 %), more fragmented sleep (SMD: 0.52, 95 % CI = 0.17 to 0.87, p < .01, I2 = 0 %), and longer time in bed (SMD: 0.41, 95 % CI = 0.07 to 0.74, p < .05, I2 = 0 %) compared to healthy controls. LIMITATIONS This study included a limited number of studies. Publication bias was not examined on all variables, which could lead to an overestimation of effect size. Four studies involved veterans, which likely differ from civilians regarding traumatic exposure. CONCLUSION This meta-analytic review highlighted a pattern of sleep disturbances in PTSD patients compared with non-PTSD individuals. High-quality, large-scale studies are necessary to draw a definitive conclusion regarding the distinctive sleep profile in PTSD. Future research can pay attention to sleep-specific mechanisms underlying PTSD and explore the momentary interactions between sleep-wake variables.
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Reyes Del Paso GA, Contreras-Merino AM, de la Coba P, Duschek S. The cardiac, vasomotor, and myocardial branches of the baroreflex in fibromyalgia: Associations with pain, affective impairments, sleep problems, and fatigue. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13800. [PMID: 33645659 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the cardiac, vasomotor, and myocardial branches of the baroreflex in fibromyalgia using the spontaneous sequence method. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), interbeat interval (IBI), stroke volume (SV), pre-ejection period (PEP), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were continuously recorded in 40 fibromyalgia patients and 30 healthy individuals during a cold pressor test and a mental arithmetic task. Sequences of covariation between SBP and IBI (cardiac branch), SV and PEP (myocardial branch), and TPR (vasomotor branch) were identified. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was represented by the slope of the regression line between values in the sequences; baroreflex effectiveness (BEI) was indexed by the proportion of progressive SBP changes that elicited reflex responses. Patients exhibited lower BRS in the three branches, lower BEI in the cardiac and vasomotor branches, and reduced reactivity in cardiac BRS and BEI, SBP, IBI, SV, and PEP. Moreover, BRS and BEI were inversely related to clinical pain, cold pressor pain, depression, trait anxiety, sleep problems, and fatigue. Reduced function of the three baroreflex branches implies diminished resources for autonomic inotropic, chronotropic, and vascular regulation in fibromyalgia. Blunted stress reactivity indicates a limited capacity for autonomic cardiovascular adjustment to situational requirements. The associations of BRS and BEI with pain perception may reflect the antinociceptive effects arising from baroreceptor afferents, where reduced baroreflex function may contribute to the hyperalgesia characterizing fibromyalgia. The associations with affective impairments, sleep problems, and fatigue suggest that baroreflex dysfunctions are also involved in the secondary symptoms of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stefan Duschek
- Institute of Psychology, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria
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4
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Gurel NZ, Wittbrodt MT, Jung H, Shandhi MMH, Driggers EG, Ladd SL, Huang M, Ko YA, Shallenberger L, Beckwith J, Nye JA, Pearce BD, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation reduces sympathetic responses to stress in posttraumatic stress disorder: A double-blind, randomized, sham controlled trial. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100264. [PMID: 33344717 PMCID: PMC7739181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Exacerbated autonomic responses to acute stress are prevalent in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of transcutaneous cervical VNS (tcVNS) on autonomic responses to acute stress in patients with PTSD. The authors hypothesized tcVNS would reduce the sympathetic response to stress compared to a sham device. Methods Using a randomized double-blind approach, we studied the effects of tcVNS on physiological responses to stress in patients with PTSD (n = 25) using noninvasive sensing modalities. Participants received either sham (n = 12) or active tcVNS (n = 13) after exposure to acute personalized traumatic script stress and mental stress (public speech, mental arithmetic) over a three-day protocol. Physiological parameters related to sympathetic responses to stress were investigated. Results Relative to sham, tcVNS paired to traumatic script stress decreased sympathetic function as measured by: decreased heart rate (adjusted β = -5.7%; 95% CI: ±3.6%, effect size d = 0.43, p < 0.01), increased photoplethysmogram amplitude (peripheral vasodilation) (30.8%; ±28%, 0.29, p < 0.05), and increased pulse arrival time (vascular function) (6.3%; ±1.9%, 0.57, p < 0.0001). Similar (p < 0.05) autonomic, cardiovascular, and vascular effects were observed when tcVNS was applied after mental stress or without acute stress. Conclusion tcVNS attenuates sympathetic arousal associated with stress related to traumatic memories as well as mental stress in patients with PTSD, with effects persisting throughout multiple traumatic stress and stimulation testing days. These findings show that tcVNS has beneficial effects on the underlying neurophysiology of PTSD. Such autonomic metrics may also be evaluated in daily life settings in tandem with tcVNS therapy to provide closed-loop delivery and measure efficacy.ClinicalTrials.gov Registration # NCT02992899.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hewon Jung
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Md Mobashir H Shandhi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily G Driggers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy L Ladd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joy Beckwith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bradley D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
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5
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Maguire DG, Ruddock MW, Milanak ME, Moore T, Cobice D, Armour C. Sleep, a Governor of Morbidity in PTSD: A Systematic Review of Biological Markers in PTSD-Related Sleep Disturbances. Nat Sci Sleep 2020; 12:545-562. [PMID: 32801980 PMCID: PMC7402856 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s260734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep disturbances (SD) are the most impactful and commonly reported symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet, they are often resistant to primary PTSD therapies. Research has identified two distinct SDs highly prevalent in PTSD; insomnia and nightmares. Those who report SDs prior to a traumatic event are at greater risk for developing PTSD; highlighting that sleep potentially plays a role in PTSD's pathology. To further understand the pathobiological mechanisms that lead to the development of PTSD, it is first imperative to understand the interplay which exists between sleep and PTSD on a biological level. The aim of this systematic review is to determine if biological or physiological markers are related to SD in PTSD. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted on the electronic databases; Medline, Embase, AMED and PsycINFO, using Medical Subject Headings and associated keywords. RESULTS Sixteen studies were included in the final analyses. Physiological makers of autonomic function, and biochemical markers of HPA-axis activity; inflammatory processes; and trophic factor regulation were related to the severity of SDs in PTSD. CONCLUSION These findings add to the growing literature base supporting a central focus on sleep in research aiming to define the pathophysiological processes which result in PTSD, as well as emphasising the importance of specifically targeting sleep as part of a successful PTSD intervention strategy. Resolving SDs will not only reduce PTSD symptom severity and improve quality of life but will also reduce all-cause mortality, hospital admissions and lifetime healthcare costs for those with PTSD. Limitations of the current literature are discussed, and key recommendations future research must adhere to are made within.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Maguire
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland
| | - Mark W Ruddock
- Randox Laboratories Ltd, Clinical Studies, Crumlin, County Antrim BT29 4QY, Northern Ireland
| | - Melissa E Milanak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Tara Moore
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland
| | - Diego Cobice
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland
| | - Cherie Armour
- School of Psychology, David Keir Building, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland
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Valenza G, Citi L, Garcia RG, Taylor JN, Toschi N, Barbieri R. Complexity Variability Assessment of Nonlinear Time-Varying Cardiovascular Control. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42779. [PMID: 28218249 PMCID: PMC5316947 DOI: 10.1038/srep42779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of complex systems theory to physiology and medicine has provided meaningful information about the nonlinear aspects underlying the dynamics of a wide range of biological processes and their disease-related aberrations. However, no studies have investigated whether meaningful information can be extracted by quantifying second-order moments of time-varying cardiovascular complexity. To this extent, we introduce a novel mathematical framework termed complexity variability, in which the variance of instantaneous Lyapunov spectra estimated over time serves as a reference quantifier. We apply the proposed methodology to four exemplary studies involving disorders which stem from cardiology, neurology and psychiatry: Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Major Depression Disorder (MDD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients with insomnia under a yoga training regime. We show that complexity assessments derived from simple time-averaging are not able to discern pathology-related changes in autonomic control, and we demonstrate that between-group differences in measures of complexity variability are consistent across pathologies. Pathological states such as CHF, MDD, and PD are associated with an increased complexity variability when compared to healthy controls, whereas wellbeing derived from yoga in PTSD is associated with lower time-variance of complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Valenza
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Information Engineering and Bioengineering and Robotics Research Centre “E. Piaggio”, School of Engineering, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Citi
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Ronald G. Garcia
- Masira Research Institute, School of Medicine, Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | | | - Nicola Toschi
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Barbieri
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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7
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Rissling MB, Dennis PA, Watkins LL, Calhoun PS, Dennis MF, Beckham JC, Hayano J, Ulmer CS. Circadian Contrasts in Heart Rate Variability Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in a Young Adult Cohort. J Trauma Stress 2016; 29:415-421. [PMID: 27603025 PMCID: PMC5108045 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Prior research has demonstrated that individuals exposed to trauma have shown impaired autonomic function. We sought to determine if heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of impaired autonomic function, differed across periods of wake, rest, and sleep as a function of the level of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A sample of young adults (N = 209), 95 of whom met full criteria for current PTSD based on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS; Blake et al., 1995), were evaluated for ≈ 24 hr using actigraphy and electrocardiogram. Actigraphy data were categorized as active, rest, or sleep. Multilevel modeling analyses showed that individuals with high PTSD symptom severity had lower high-frequency HRV than individuals with low PTSD symptom severity during periods of sleep, t(1083) = 2.20, p = .028, Cohen's d = 0.12. No differences were found during periods of activity, t(1083) = 1.34, p = .499, d = 0.05, or rest, t(1083) = 1.34, p = .180, d = 0.09. Our findings extended the import of prior studies to suggest that those with elevated PTSD symptoms may have decreased parasympathetic control during sleep. Moreover, relative to periods of wake and rest, sleep may represent a state of increased vulnerability for decreased parasympathetic cardiac control. Individuals with elevated PTSD symptoms may benefit from early screening for detection of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle B. Rissling
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul A. Dennis
- Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lana L. Watkins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patrick S. Calhoun
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Durham Veterans Affairs Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michelle F. Dennis
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jean C. Beckham
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Region Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Junichiro Hayano
- Department of Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Japan
| | - Christi S. Ulmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,Durham Veterans Affairs Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Patients Exhibit a Blunted Parasympathetic Response to an Emotional Stressor. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2016; 41:395-404. [DOI: 10.1007/s10484-016-9341-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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9
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Cox RC, Olatunji BO. A systematic review of sleep disturbance in anxiety and related disorders. J Anxiety Disord 2016; 37:104-29. [PMID: 26745517 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent research suggests that sleep disturbance may be a transdiagnostic process, and there is increasing interest in examining how sleep disturbance may contribute to anxiety and related disorders. The current review summarizes and synthesizes the extant research assessing sleep in anxiety and related disorders. The findings suggest that sleep disturbance exacerbates symptom severity in the majority of anxiety and related disorders. However, the nature of sleep disturbance often varies as a function of objective versus subjective assessment. Although sleep disturbance is a correlate of most anxiety and related disorders, a causal role for sleep disturbance is less clear. A model of potential mechanisms by which sleep disturbance may confer risk for the development of anxiety and related disorders is discussed. Future research integrating findings from basic sleep research with current knowledge of anxiety and related disorders may facilitate the development of novel treatments for comorbid sleep disturbance and clinical anxiety.
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10
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Effects of stress and MDMA on hippocampal gene expression. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:141396. [PMID: 24511526 PMCID: PMC3910535 DOI: 10.1155/2014/141396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Revised: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a substituted amphetamine and popular drug of abuse. Its mood-enhancing short-term effects may prompt its consumption under stress. Clinical studies indicate that MDMA treatment may mitigate the symptoms of stress disorders such as posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). On the other hand, repeated administration of MDMA results in persistent deficits in markers of serotonergic (5-HT) nerve terminals that have been viewed as indicative of 5-HT neurotoxicity. Exposure to chronic stress has been shown to augment MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity. Here, we examine the transcriptional responses in the hippocampus to MDMA treatment of control rats and rats exposed to chronic stress. MDMA altered the expression of genes that regulate unfolded protein binding, protein folding, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity, and neuropeptide signaling. In stressed rats, the gene expression profile in response to MDMA was altered to affect sensory processing and responses to tissue damage in nerve sheaths. Subsequent treatment with MDMA also markedly altered the genetic responses to stress such that the stress-induced downregulation of genes related to the circadian rhythm was reversed. The data support the view that MDMA-induced transcriptional responses accompany the persistent effects of this drug on neuronal structure/function. In addition, MDMA treatment alters the stress-induced transcriptional signature.
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11
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Ulmer CS, Calhoun PS, Bosworth HB, Dennis MF, Beckham JC. Nocturnal blood pressure non-dipping, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep quality in women. Behav Med 2013; 39:111-21. [PMID: 24236808 PMCID: PMC3964784 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2013.813434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poor sleep quality and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Non-dipping of nocturnal blood pressure may be an explanatory factor for the relationship between sleep and CVD found in previous research. The current study was designed to determine if non-dipping nocturnal blood pressure was associated with trauma exposure, PTSD diagnosis, PTSD symptoms, and sleep quality in a sample of women. Participants completed 24 hours of ABPM and self-report questionnaires. Non-dipping was defined as less than 10% reduction in blood pressure during sleep. The frequency of non-dippers did not differ by diagnostic status (d = .15). However, non-dippers endorsed more traumatic event categories (d = .53), more PTSD hyperarousal symptoms (d = .53), poorer overall sleep quality (d = .59), more frequent use of sleep medication (d = .62), greater sleep-related daytime dysfunction (d = .58), and longer sleep onset latencies (d = .55) than dippers. Increased attention to nocturnal blood pressure variation may be needed to improve blood pressure control in trauma-exposed women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christi S Ulmer
- a Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Duke University Medical Center
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12
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Khoury N, Marvar PJ, Gillespie CF, Wingo A, Schwartz A, Bradley B, Kramer M, Ressler KJ. The renin-angiotensin pathway in posttraumatic stress disorder: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers are associated with fewer traumatic stress symptoms. J Clin Psychiatry 2012; 73:849-55. [PMID: 22687631 PMCID: PMC4087173 DOI: 10.4088/jcp.11m07316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2011] [Accepted: 10/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating stress-related illness associated with trauma exposure. The peripheral and central mechanisms mediating stress response in PTSD are incompletely understood. Recent data suggest that the renin-angiotensin pathway, essential to cardiovascular regulation, is also involved in mediating stress and anxiety. In this study, the authors examined the relationship between active treatment with blood pressure medication, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and PTSD symptom severity within a highly traumatized civilian medical population. METHOD Cross-sectional, observational data were analyzed from a larger study; patients were recruited from Grady Memorial Hospital's outpatient population from 2006 to November 2010. Multivariable linear regression models were fit to statistically evaluate the independent association of being prescribed an ACE inhibitor or ARB with PTSD symptoms, using a subset of patients for whom medical information was available (n = 505). Categorical PTSD diagnosis was assessed using the modified PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS) based on DSM-IV criteria, and PTSD symptom severity (the primary outcome of interest) was measured using the PSS and Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. RESULTS A significant association was determined between presence of an ACE inhibitor/ARB medication and decreased PTSD symptoms (mean PSS score 11.4 vs 14.9 for individuals prescribed vs not prescribed ACE inhibitors/ARBs, respectively [P = .014]). After adjustment for covariates, ACE inhibitor/ARB treatment remained significantly associated with decreased PTSD symptoms (P = .044). Notably, other blood pressure medications, including β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics, were not significantly associated with reduced PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These data provide the first clinical evidence supporting a role for the renin-angiotensin system in the regulation of stress response in patients diagnosed with PTSD. Further studies should examine whether available medications targeting this pathway should be considered for future treatment and potential protection against PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kerry J Ressler
- Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to: Kerry J. Ressler, MD, PhD Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Yerkes Research Center Emory University 954 Gatewood Dr Atlanta, GA 30329, USA off: 404-727-7739 fax: 404-727-8070
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13
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Koresh O, Kozlovsky N, Kaplan Z, Zohar J, Matar MA, Cohen H. The long-term abnormalities in circadian expression of Period 1 and Period 2 genes in response to stress is normalized by agomelatine administered immediately after exposure. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2012; 22:205-21. [PMID: 21925847 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Revised: 06/26/2011] [Accepted: 07/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the circadian and stress systems are involved in adaptation to predictable and unpredictable stimuli, respectively. A series of experiments examined the relationship between stress-induced posttraumatic stress (PTSD)-like behavioral response patterns in rats and brain levels of genes related to circadian rhythms. The effects of agomelatine, administered immediately after exposure, on stress-related behavior and on local expression of Per1 and Per2 were assessed. Animals were exposed to predator scent stress. The outcome measures included behavior in an elevated plus-maze (EPM) and acoustic startle response (ASR) 7days after the exposure. Pre-set cut-off behavioral criteria classified exposed animals according to behavioral responses in EPM and ASR paradigms as those with 'extreme behavioral response' (EBR), 'minimal behavioral response (MBR),' or 'partial behavioral response' (PBR). Per1 and Per2 expression in hippocampal subregions, frontal cortex and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) 8days after exposure were evaluated using immunohistochemical and RT-PCR techniques at zeitgeber-times 19 and 13. The effects of agomelatine, on behavioral tests were evaluated on Day 8. Local brain expression of Per1 and Per2 mRNA was subsequently assessed. Data were analyzed in relation to individual behavior patterns. Animals with extreme behavioral response (EBR) displayed a distinct pattern of Per1 and Per2 expression in the SCN, which was the opposite of that observed in the control and MBR animals. In the DG, no variation in Per2 expression was observed in the EBR and PBR animals. Immediate post-exposure treatment with agomelatine significantly reduced percentage of extreme-responders and normalized the expression of Per1 and Per2 as compared to controls. Stress-induced alterations in Per genes in the EBR animals may represent an imbalance between normally precisely orchestrated physiological and behavioral processes and psychopathological processes. These findings indicate that these circadian-related genes play a role in the neurobiological response to predator scent stress and provide supportive evidence that the use of agomelatine immediately after traumatic experience may be protective against the subsequent development of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ori Koresh
- Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, The State of Israel Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
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Dedert EA, Calhoun PS, Watkins LL, Sherwood A, Beckham JC. Posttraumatic stress disorder, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease: a review of the evidence. Ann Behav Med 2010; 39:61-78. [PMID: 20174903 DOI: 10.1007/s12160-010-9165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. PURPOSE The purpose of the current review is to evaluate the evidence suggesting that PTSD increases cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, and to identify possible biomarkers and psychosocial characteristics and behavioral variables that are associated with these outcomes. METHODS A systematic literature search in the period of 2002-2009 for PTSD, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease was conducted. RESULTS The literature search yielded 78 studies on PTSD and cardiovascular/metabolic disease and biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS Although the available literature suggests an association of PTSD with cardiovascular disease and biomarkers, further research must consider potential confounds, incorporate longitudinal designs, and conduct careful PTSD assessments in diverse samples to address gaps in the research literature. Research on metabolic disease and biomarkers suggests an association with PTSD, but has not progressed as far as the cardiovascular research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Dedert
- VA Research Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Durham Veterans Affairs and Duke University Medical Centers, Durham, NC, USA.
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