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Zhang Y, Moore M, Jennings JS, Clark JD, Bayley PJ, Ashford JW, Furst AJ. The role of the brainstem in sleep disturbances and chronic pain of Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 16:1266408. [PMID: 38260809 PMCID: PMC10800562 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1266408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Gulf War Illness is a type of chronic multisymptom illness, that affects about 30% of veterans deployed to the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. Veterans deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan after 2000 are reported to have a similar prevalence of chronic multisymptom illness. More than 30 years after the Persian Gulf War, Gulf War Illness still has an unexplained symptom complex, unknown etiology and lacks definitive diagnostic criteria and effective treatments. Our recent studies have found that substantially smaller brainstem volumes and lower fiber integrity are associated with increased sleep difficulty and pain intensity in 1990-91 Persian Gulf War veterans. This study was conducted to investigate whether veterans deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan present similar brainstem damage, and whether such brainstem structural differences are associated with major symptoms as in Gulf War Illness. Methods Here, we used structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to measure the volumes of subcortices, brainstem subregions and white matter integrity of brainstem fiber tracts in 188 veterans including 98 Persian Gulf War veterans and 90 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Results We found that compared to healthy controls, veterans of both campaigns presented with substantially smaller volumes in brainstem subregions, accompanied by greater periaqueductal gray matter volumes. We also found that all veterans had reduced integrity in the brainstem-spinal cord tracts and the brainstem-subcortical tracts. In veterans deployed during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War, we found that brainstem structural deficits significantly correlated with increased sleep difficulties and pain intensities, but in veterans deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan, no such effect was observed. Discussion These structural differences in the brainstem neurons and tracts may reflect autonomic dysregulation corresponding to the symptom constellation, which is characteristic of Gulf War Illness. Understanding these neuroimaging and neuropathological relationships in Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan veterans may improve clinical management and treatment strategies for modern war related chronic multisymptom illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Matthew Moore
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer S. Jennings
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - J. David Clark
- Anesthesiology Service, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Peter J. Bayley
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - J. Wesson Ashford
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Ansgar J. Furst
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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2
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Bhatti G, Villalon A, Li R, Elammari M, Price A, Steele L, Garcia JM, Marcelli M, Jorge R. Hormonal changes in veterans with Gulf War Illness. Life Sci 2023; 328:121908. [PMID: 37406768 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multi-system condition of complex etiology and pathophysiology without specific treatment. There is an overlap between the symptoms of GWI and endocrinopathies. This study aimed to identify hormonal alterations in 1990-91 Gulf War (GW) veterans and the relationship between GWI and hormonal dysregulation. MAIN METHODS Data from 81 GW veterans (54 with GWI and 27 controls without GWI) was analyzed in a cross-sectional, case-control observational study. Participants completed multiple questionnaires, neuropsychiatric assessments, and a comprehensive set of hormone assays including a glucagon stimulation test (GST) for adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) and a high-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test for adrenal insufficiency. KEY FINDINGS The GWI group had lower quality of life and greater severity of all symptoms compared to controls. Pain intensity and pain-related interference with general activity were also higher in the GWI group. AGHD was observed in 18 of 51 veterans with GWI (35.3 %) and 2 of 26 veterans without GWI (7.7 %) (p = 0.012 for interaction). Veterans with GWI also exhibited reduced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels and IGF-1 Z-scores compared to controls. One participant with GWI met the criteria for adrenal insufficiency. No significant changes were observed in other hormonal axes. SIGNIFICANCE The frequency of AGHD was significantly higher in veterans with GWI compared to controls. Recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) may become a breakthrough therapeutic option for this subgroup. A large clinical trial is needed to evaluate the efficacy of GHRT in patients with GWI and AGHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gursimrat Bhatti
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Audri Villalon
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ruosha Li
- UT Health Science Center School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mohamed Elammari
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexandra Price
- Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lea Steele
- Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jose M Garcia
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, and Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine-Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Ricardo Jorge
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Beth K and Stuart C Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
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3
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Ramos-Cejudo J, Genfi A, Abu-Amara D, Debure L, Qian M, Laska E, Siegel C, Milton N, Newman J, Blessing E, Li M, Etkin A, Marmar CR, Fossati S. CRF serum levels differentiate PTSD from healthy controls and TBI in military veterans. PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE 2022; 3:153-162. [PMID: 35211666 PMCID: PMC8764614 DOI: 10.1176/appi.prcp.20210017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and frequently debilitating psychiatric condition that can occur in people who have experienced traumatic stressors, such as war, violence, sexual assault and other life‐threatening events. Treatment of PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in veterans is challenged by diagnostic complexity, partially due to PTSD and TBI symptoms overlap and to the fact that subjective self‐report assessments may be influenced by a patient's willingness to share their traumatic experiences and resulting symptoms. Corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) is one of the main mediators of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)‐axis responses in stress and anxiety. Methods and Results We analyzed serum CRF levels in 230 participants including heathy controls (64), and individuals with PTSD (53), TBI (70) or PTSD + TBI (43) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Significantly lower CRF levels were found in both the PTSD and PTSD + TBI groups compared to healthy control (PTSD vs. Controls: P = 0.0014, PTSD + TBI vs. Controls: P = 0.0011) and chronic TBI participants (PTSD vs. TBI: P < 0.0001, PTSD + TBI vs. TBI: P < 0.0001), suggesting a PTSD‐related mechanism independent from TBI and associated with CRF reduction. CRF levels negatively correlated with PTSD severity on the Clinically Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS‐5) scale in the whole study group. Conclusions Hyperactivation of the HPA axis has been classically identified in acute stress. However, the recognized enhanced feedback inhibition of the HPA axis in chronic stress supports our findings of lower CRF in PTSD patients. This study suggests that reduced serum CRF in PTSD should be further investigated. Future validation studies will establish if CRF is a possible blood biomarker for PTSD and/or for differentiating PTSD and chronic TBI symptomatology. The HPA axis is activated under acute stress conditions, but an enhanced feedback inhibition may be prevalent in chronic stress conditions such as PTSD. We observed a reduction in serum CRF levels in veterans with PTSD and PTSD + TBI, but not in veterans with chronic TBI alone. A serum CRF reduction may be indicative of CNS mechanisms specific to PTSD and should be further evaluated as a possible peripheral biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Ramos-Cejudo
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Afia Genfi
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Duna Abu-Amara
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Ludovic Debure
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meng Qian
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Eugene Laska
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Carole Siegel
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Milton
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Newman
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Esther Blessing
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Amit Etkin
- Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA USA.,Stanford University, Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA.,VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Charles R Marmar
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Silvia Fossati
- Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of PTSD and TBI, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.,New York University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA.,Current Affiliation: Alzheimer's center at Temple, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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4
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Yee MK, Zundel CG, Maule AL, Heeren T, Proctor SP, Sullivan KA, Krengel MH. Longitudinal Assessment of Health Symptoms in Relation to Neurotoxicant Exposures in 1991 Gulf War Veterans: The Ft. Devens Cohort. J Occup Environ Med 2020; 62:663-668. [PMID: 32890202 PMCID: PMC7478220 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This analysis examined the relationship between Gulf War (GW) exposures and health symptoms reported in three time periods over 20 years in Ft. Devens Cohort veterans. METHODS Repeated logistic regression models examined the association of exposures and health symptoms over time. Models included baseline age, active duty status, post-traumatic stress disorder status, sex, and time since deployment as covariates. RESULTS Exposure to tent heaters was associated with increased odds of crying easily and muscle twitching. Exposure to pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills was associated with increased odds of depression and fatigue. Exposure to the Khamisiyah sarin plume was associated with increased odds of trouble concentrating and crying easily. CONCLUSION This longitudinal analysis demonstrated an association between neurotoxicant exposures and increased odds of cognitive/mood, fatigue, and neurological symptoms. In addition, most symptoms increased over time since deployment regardless of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Yee
- Research Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts (Yee, Zundel, Dr Proctor, Dr Krengel); Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (Zundel); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (Drs Maule, Sullivan); Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts (Drs Maule, Proctor); Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Heeren); and Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Krengel)
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5
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Vashishtha S, Broderick G, Craddock TJA, Barnes ZM, Collado F, Balbin EG, Fletcher MA, Klimas NG. Leveraging Prior Knowledge to Recover Characteristic Immune Regulatory Motifs in Gulf War Illness. Front Physiol 2020; 11:358. [PMID: 32411011 PMCID: PMC7198798 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Potentially linked to the basic physiology of stress response, Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a debilitating condition presenting with complex immune, endocrine and neurological symptoms. Here we interrogate the immune response to physiological stress by measuring 16 blood-borne immune markers at 8 time points before, during and after maximum exercise challenge in n = 12 GWI veterans and n = 11 healthy veteran controls deployed to the same theater. Immune markers were combined into functional sets and the dynamics of their joint expression described as classical rate equations. These empirical networks were further informed structurally by projection onto prior knowledge networks mined from the literature. Of the 49 literature-informed immune signaling interactions, 21 were found active in the combined exercise response data. However, only 4 signals were common to both subject groups while 7 were uniquely active in GWI and 10 uniquely active in healthy veterans. Feedforward mediation of IL-23 and IL-17 by IL-6 and IL-10 emerged as distinguishing control elements that were characteristically active in GWI versus healthy subjects. Simulated restructuring of the regulatory circuitry in GWI as a result of applying an IL-6 receptor antagonist in combination with either a Th1 (IL-2, IFNγ, and TNFα) or IL-23 receptor antagonist predicted a partial rescue of immune response elements previously associated with illness severity. Overall, results suggest that pharmacologically altering the topology of the immune response circuitry identified as active in GWI can inform on strategies that while not curative, may nonetheless deliver a reduction in symptom burden. A lasting and more complete remission in GWI may therefore require manipulation of a broader physiology, namely one that includes endocrine oversight of immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Vashishtha
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Gordon Broderick
- Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Travis J A Craddock
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience, Computer Science and Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States
| | - Zachary M Barnes
- Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Fanny Collado
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Elizabeth G Balbin
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Mary Ann Fletcher
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience, Computer Science and Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Nancy G Klimas
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience, Computer Science and Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
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6
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Zundel CG, Krengel MH, Heeren T, Yee MK, Grasso CM, Janulewicz Lloyd PA, Coughlin SS, Sullivan K. Rates of Chronic Medical Conditions in 1991 Gulf War Veterans Compared to the General Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16060949. [PMID: 30884809 PMCID: PMC6466358 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16060949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence of nine chronic medical conditions in the population-based Ft. Devens Cohort (FDC) of GW veterans were compared with the population-based 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohort. Excess prevalence was calculated as the difference in prevalence estimates from the Ft. Devens and NHANES cohorts; and confidence intervals and p-values are based on the standard errors for the two prevalence estimates. FDC males were at increased risk for reporting seven chronic medical conditions compared with NHANES males. FDC females were at decreased risk for high blood pressure and increased risk for diabetes when compared with NHANES females. FDC veterans reporting war-related chemical weapons exposure showed higher risk of high blood pressure; diabetes; arthritis and chronic bronchitis while those reporting taking anti-nerve gas pills had increased risk of heart attack and diabetes. GW veterans are at higher risk of chronic conditions than the general population and these risks are associated with self-reported toxicant exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara G Zundel
- Research Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
- Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, Behavioral Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Maxine H Krengel
- Research Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Timothy Heeren
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Megan K Yee
- Research Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
| | - Claudia M Grasso
- Research Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
| | | | - Steven S Coughlin
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
| | - Kimberly Sullivan
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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7
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Golier JA, Caramanica K, Michaelides AC, Makotkine I, Schmeidler J, Harvey PD, Yehuda R. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of mifepristone in Gulf War veterans with chronic multisymptom illness. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 64:22-30. [PMID: 26600007 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
No pharmacological treatments have been demonstrated to effectively treat chronic multisymptom illness (CMI) in Gulf War veterans (GWV). This study assessed the effect of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone in GWV with CMI. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial of mifepristone, with two six-week treatment phases separated by a one-month washout period, was conducted at a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital between 2008 and 2011. Participants were randomized to receive either 200mg of mifepristone per day or matched placebo first. The primary clinical outcome measure was change in self-reported physical health. Neurocognitive functioning and self-reported measures of depression, PTSD, and fatigue were secondary outcomes. Sixty-five participants enrolled, of whom 36 were randomized and 32 (mean age, 49.1 (7.2) years) completed the study. Physical and mental health status and neurocognitive functioning were poor at baseline. Mifepristone treatment was not associated with improvement in self-reported physical health (p=0.838) or in other self-reported measures of mental health. Mifepristone treatment was significantly associated with improvements in verbal learning (p=0.008, d=0.508), in the absence of improvement in other cognitive measures (working memory (p=0.914), visual learning (p=0.643) and a global composite measure (p=0.937). Baseline morning cortisol levels and lysozyme IC50-DEX, a measure of peripheral glucocorticoid sensitivity, displayed a significant relationship with endpoint verbal learning scores (p=0.012 and p=0.007, respectively). The magnitude of cortisol change during treatment mediated the improvement in verbal learning. This study was negative for the primary and secondary clinical outcomes. However, the data suggest a moderate dose of mifepristone may have circumscribed cognitive-enhancing effects in CMI. Further study is warranted to determine whether and through which mechanisms mifepristone treatment can yield clinically meaningful improvement in cognitive function in CMI or other neuropsychiatric conditions associated with HPA axis dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Golier
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, OOMH-526, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Psychiatry Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1428 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States.
| | - Kimberly Caramanica
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, OOMH-526, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, United States
| | - Andreas C Michaelides
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, OOMH-526, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, United States
| | - Iouri Makotkine
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, OOMH-526, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Psychiatry Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1428 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - James Schmeidler
- Psychiatry Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1428 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Philip D Harvey
- Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, OOMH-526, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Psychiatry Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1428 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States
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8
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White RF, Steele L, O'Callaghan JP, Sullivan K, Binns JH, Golomb BA, Bloom FE, Bunker JA, Crawford F, Graves JC, Hardie A, Klimas N, Knox M, Meggs WJ, Melling J, Philbert MA, Grashow R. Recent research on Gulf War illness and other health problems in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Effects of toxicant exposures during deployment. Cortex 2015; 74:449-75. [PMID: 26493934 PMCID: PMC4724528 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 282] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Veterans of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield - the 1991 Gulf War (GW) - are a unique population who returned from theater with multiple health complaints and disorders. Studies in the U.S. and elsewhere have consistently concluded that approximately 25-32% of this population suffers from a disorder characterized by symptoms that vary somewhat among individuals and include fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic complaints. Gulf War illness (GWI) is the term used to describe this disorder. In addition, brain cancer occurs at increased rates in subgroups of GW veterans, as do neuropsychological and brain imaging abnormalities. Chemical exposures have become the focus of etiologic GWI research because nervous system symptoms are prominent and many neurotoxicants were present in theater, including organophosphates (OPs), carbamates, and other pesticides; sarin/cyclosarin nerve agents, and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) medications used as prophylaxis against chemical warfare attacks. Psychiatric etiologies have been ruled out. This paper reviews the recent literature on the health of 1991 GW veterans, focusing particularly on the central nervous system and on effects of toxicant exposures. In addition, it emphasizes research published since 2008, following on an exhaustive review that was published in that year that summarizes the prior literature (RACGWI, 2008). We conclude that exposure to pesticides and/or to PB are causally associated with GWI and the neurological dysfunction in GW veterans. Exposure to sarin and cyclosarin and to oil well fire emissions are also associated with neurologically based health effects, though their contribution to development of the disorder known as GWI is less clear. Gene-environment interactions are likely to have contributed to development of GWI in deployed veterans. The health consequences of chemical exposures in the GW and other conflicts have been called "toxic wounds" by veterans. This type of injury requires further study and concentrated treatment research efforts that may also benefit other occupational groups with similar exposure-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta F White
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Lea Steele
- Baylor University Institute of Biomedical Studies, Waco, TX, United States.
| | - James P O'Callaghan
- Molecular Neurotoxicology, Toxicology & Molecular Biology Branch (MS-3014), Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - NIOSH, Morgantown, WV, United States.
| | - Kimberly Sullivan
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - James H Binns
- Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
| | | | - Floyd E Bloom
- Molecular & Integrative Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | - James A Bunker
- National Gulf War Resource Center, Topeka, KS, United States.
| | - Fiona Crawford
- Director, TBI Research Program, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States.
| | - Joel C Graves
- Captain, U.S. Army, Retired, Crestview, FL, United States.
| | - Anthony Hardie
- Veterans for Common Sense, Bradenton, FL, United States.
| | - Nancy Klimas
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Miami, FL, United States.
| | - Marguerite Knox
- McEntire Joint National Guard Base, Eastover, SC, United States.
| | - William J Meggs
- Department of Emergency Medicine, 3ED311, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, United States.
| | - Jack Melling
- U.S. Government Accountability Office, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
| | | | - Rachel Grashow
- Northeastern University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Boston, MA, United States.
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Bierer LM, Ivanov I, Carpenter DM, Wong EW, Golier JA, Tang CY, Yehuda R. White matter abnormalities in Gulf War veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 51:567-76. [PMID: 25465169 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gulf War veterans were exposed to environmental toxins not present in other combat theaters resulting in a unique biological signature that only partially resembles that seen in other combat veterans with PTSD. Thus it is important to determine if brain abnormalities seen in non-Gulf War veterans with PTSD are also present in Gulf War veterans. In this pilot study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography was used to assess the ultra-structural integrity of fronto-limbic white matter connections in Gulf War veterans with and without PTSD. The effects of chronic multisymptom illness on DTI measures was also evaluated. METHODS Subjects were 20 previously studied Gulf War veterans on whom MRIs had been obtained. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were determined for left and right cingulum bundle by DTI tractography and compared in separate analyses for 12 veterans with, and 8 without PTSD. The effect of chronic multisymptom illness and it's interaction with PTSD, were similarly investigated using multivariate ACOVA. Partial correlations were used to test the associations of both DTI indices with PTSD severity and plasma cortisol, controlling for whole brain volume. RESULTS Significantly lower MD was demonstrated in the right cingulum bundle among Gulf War veterans with PTSD. There were no significant differences in MD or FA in the left cingulum bundle. The presence of chronic multisymptom illness significantly attenuated the PTSD associated decrement in right cingulum MD. Clinician and self-rated PTSD symptom severity scores were significantly associated with reduced MD and increased FA in the right cingulum. Similar associations were observed for 8am plasma cortisol in a subset of participants. CONCLUSIONS The preliminary findings indicate increased structural integrity - supporting enhanced connectivity - between right amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex in PTSD. This effect was strongest among Gulf War veterans without chronic multisymptom illness. The association of both MD and FA in the right cingulum with PTSD severity, and with heightened glucocorticoid responsivity, suggests that these DTI findings are a reflection of current PTSD illness expression. Although based on a small sample, these microstructural observations are consistent with a functional model suggesting increased amygdala responsivity in association with anterior cingulate modulation in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M Bierer
- Department of Psychiatry, Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States; Traumatic Stress Studies Division, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, United States.
| | - Iliyan Ivanov
- Department of Psychiatry, Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States; Traumatic Stress Studies Division, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, United States
| | - David M Carpenter
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States
| | - Edmund W Wong
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States
| | - Julia A Golier
- Department of Psychiatry, Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States; Traumatic Stress Studies Division, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, United States
| | - Cheuk Y Tang
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Department of Psychiatry, Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States; Traumatic Stress Studies Division, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, United States
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10
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The Interface of Stress and the HPA Axis in Behavioural Phenotypes of Mental Illness. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:13-24. [PMID: 24652609 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function are one of the most consistent biological findings across several mental disorders, but many of the mechanisms underlying this abnormality as well as the potential contribution to behavioural phenotypes remain only partially understood. Interestingly, evidence suggests a U-curve, with dysregulation of the HPA axis towards both hyper- or hypoactivity manifesting as a risk to mental wellbeing. This review will elaborate on both the clinical and molecular role of the neuroendocrine stress system in depressive, psychotic and post-traumatic stress disorders and present some of the most recent findings that have shed light on the complex interface between environmental stressors, molecular mechanisms and clinical presentation. Crucially, plasticity of the HPA axis confers both vulnerability to adverse events, particularly so in early developmental stages, as well as hope for the treatment of mental disorder, as evidenced by changes in HPA functioning associated with remission of symptoms.
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11
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Savic D, Knezevic G, Damjanovic S, Spiric Z, Matic G. The role of personality and traumatic events in cortisol levels--where does PTSD fit in? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:937-47. [PMID: 22133516 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2011] [Revised: 11/02/2011] [Accepted: 11/02/2011] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of cortisol in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have yielded mixed results. We hypothesize that personality traits and traumatic experiences could be the confounders of cortisol measures and disease symptoms. METHOD This study was a part of a broader project in which simultaneous psychological and biological investigations were carried out in hospital conditions on 400 male participants categorized by four groups: (A) 133 with current PTSD, (B) 66 with lifetime PTSD, (C) 102 trauma controls, and (D) 99 healthy controls (matched by age and education). Cortisol and ACTH were measured in blood samples taken hourly from 22:00 h to 09:00 h, with an additional sample at 07:30 h (resting state and morning rise). The next night, dexamethasone (0.5mg) suppression test was performed. RESULTS No significant differences in basal cortisol and ACTH were found between study groups. The trait Conscientiousness, negatively modulated by Extraversion (assessed by NEO Personality Inventory-Revised) was found to correlate with cortisol (but not with ACTH). Group differences are found on suppression. Structural equation modeling shows excellent fit only when the paths (influences) from Conscientiousness to basal cortisol and from traumatic events to suppression are present. The paths connecting suppression and PTSD symptoms do not contribute. CONCLUSIONS Two sources of differences of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis functioning are implied, both only indirectly connected to PTSD. It seems that basal cortisol secretion is associated more tightly with personality (introvertively modulated Conscientiousness), while the regulation by glucocorticoid receptor system is sensitized by repeated traumatic situations.
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12
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Proteomic CNS Profile of Delayed Cognitive Impairment in Mice Exposed to Gulf War Agents. Neuromolecular Med 2011; 13:275-88. [DOI: 10.1007/s12017-011-8160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2011] [Accepted: 09/23/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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13
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Yehuda R, Golier JA, Bierer LM, Mikhno A, Pratchett LC, Burton CL, Makotkine I, Devanand DP, Pradhaban G, Harvey PD, Mann JJ. Hydrocortisone responsiveness in Gulf War veterans with PTSD: effects on ACTH, declarative memory hippocampal [(18)F]FDG uptake on PET. Psychiatry Res 2010; 184:117-27. [PMID: 20934312 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2010] [Accepted: 06/22/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine, cognitive and hippocampal alterations have been described in Gulf War (GW) veterans, but their inter-relationships and significance for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have not been described. Hydrocortisone (Hcort) was administered to GW veterans with (PTSD+ n=12) and without (PTSD- n=8) chronic PTSD in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind challenge. Changes in plasma ACTH, memory, and hippocampal [(18)F]FDG uptake on positron emission tomography were assessed. The low-dose dexamethasone suppression test was also administered. The PTSD+ group showed greater cortisol and ACTH suppression, reflecting greater peripheral glucocorticoid receptor (GR) responsiveness, and did not show an Hcort-induced decrement in delayed recall or retention. The groups had comparable relative regional hippocampal [(18)F]FDG uptake at baseline, but only the PTSD- group had an Hcort-associated decrease in hippocampal [(18)F]FDG uptake. Asymmetry in hippocampal hemispheric volumes differed between PTSD+ and PTSD- groups. This asymmetry was associated with cortisol, ACTH, retention and functional hippocampal asymmetry before, but not after, Hcort administration. Differences in brain metabolic responses between GW veterans with and without PTSD may reflect differences in peripheral and central GR responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Yehuda
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
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14
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Golier JA, Schmeidler J, Yehuda R. Pituitary response to metyrapone in Gulf War veterans: relationship to deployment, PTSD and unexplained health symptoms. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2009; 34:1338-45. [PMID: 19446401 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2008] [Revised: 01/30/2009] [Accepted: 04/07/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gulf War deployment has been associated with a distinct neuroendocrine profile characterized by low 24h basal ACTH levels and enhanced cortisol and ACTH suppression to low-dose dexamethasone. The metyrapone stimulation test was performed to further characterize hypothalamic-pituitary activity in Gulf War veterans (GWV) and its relationship to unexplained medical symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD Eleven GWV without PTSD, 18 GWV with PTSD and 15 healthy subjects not exposed to the Gulf War theater (non-exposed) underwent the metyrapone stimulation test, which inhibits cortisol synthesis, impairs cortisol-mediated negative feedback inhibition and in turn increases levels of ACTH and 11-deoxycortisol, a cortisol precursor. These hormones were measured at baseline (7:00 a.m.) and at intervals (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) following the administration of metyrapone 750mg orally at 7:05 a.m. and at 10:05 a.m. RESULTS There were group differences in the ACTH response despite similar cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol responses to metyrapone. GWV without PTSD had a significantly attenuated ACTH response compared to non-exposed subjects; GWV with PTSD had a significantly higher ACTH response than GWV without PTSD but did not differ from non-exposed subjects. Among GWV, unexplained medical health symptoms (e.g., neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and pulmonary symptoms) and PTSD symptoms were significantly positively associated with the ACTH response to metyrapone. CONCLUSION Gulf War deployment is associated with a substantially lower ACTH response to metyrapone. In contrast, unexplained health symptoms and PTSD in Gulf War veterans are associated with relatively greater hypothalamic-pituitary activity which may reflect increased CRF activity and is evident only in consideration of deployment effects. This pattern of differences suggests either that Gulf War deployment and its associated exposures results in enduring changes in pituitary function or that reduced hypothalamic-pituitary activity protects against the development of PTSD and other deployment-related health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Golier
- Departments of Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States of America.
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15
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de Kloet C, Vermetten E, Lentjes E, Geuze E, van Pelt J, Manuel R, Heijnen C, Westenberg H. Differences in the response to the combined DEX-CRH test between PTSD patients with and without co-morbid depressive disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2008; 33:313-20. [PMID: 18215470 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2007] [Revised: 11/22/2007] [Accepted: 11/26/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroendocrine studies have shown profound alterations in HPA-axis regulation in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on baseline assessments and the response to dexamethasone, a hypothalamic overdrive with enhanced glucocorticoid feedback inhibition has been suggested. The dexamethasone-corticotrophin releasing hormone (DEX-CRH) test has shown to be a more sensitive test to assess HPA-axis dysregulation in major depression and therefore may provide a useful test tool to probe HPA-axis regulation in PTSD. METHODS To evaluate the effect of PTSD on HPA-axis regulation, we compared the response to a DEX-CRH test between male veterans with PTSD (n=26) and male veterans, who had been exposed to similar traumatic events during their deployment, without PTSD (n=23). Patients and controls were matched on age, year and region of deployment. Additionally, we compared the response of PTSD patients with (n=13) and without co-morbid major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=13). RESULTS No significant differences were observed in ACTH and cortisol response to the DEX-CRH test between patients and controls. PTSD patients with co-morbid MDD showed a significantly lower ACTH response compared to patients without co-morbid MDD. The response to the DEX-CRH test did not correlate with PTSD or depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION The DEX-CRH test did not reveal HPA-axis abnormalities in PTSD patients as compared to trauma controls. PTSD patients with a co-morbid MDD showed an attenuated ACTH response compared to PTSD patients without co-morbid MDD, suggesting the presence of subgroups with different HPA-axis regulation within the PTSD group. Altered sensitivity of the CRH receptors at the pituitary or differences in AVP secretion might explain these differences in response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carien de Kloet
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Central Military Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Golier JA, Schmeidler J, Legge J, Yehuda R. Twenty-four hour plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone in Gulf War veterans: relationships to posttraumatic stress disorder and health symptoms. Biol Psychiatry 2007; 62:1175-8. [PMID: 17612507 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2006] [Revised: 04/04/2007] [Accepted: 04/09/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aim to characterize the baseline functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in Gulf War veterans (GWV) and examine the extent to which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and unexplained health symptoms-which commonly co-occur-have similar or different biological correlates. METHODS Thirty-one GWV, 20 with current PTSD and 11 without current or lifetime PTSD, and 16 healthy nondeployed subjects not exposed to the Gulf War theater underwent medical and psychiatric examination followed by blood sampling every half-hour over 24 hours for the measurement of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). RESULTS Gulf War veterans without PTSD or another psychiatric disorder had significantly lower 24-hour plasma ACTH levels, a significantly higher cortisol:ACTH ratio, and no difference in cortisol levels compared to nondeployed subjects and to GWV with PTSD, controlling for body mass index (BMI). Among GWV, health symptoms (mood and cognitive symptoms) were positively associated with, and hyperarousal symptoms were negatively associated with, the cortisol:ACTH ratio. Additionally, the self-reported acute effects of pesticides and of pyridostigmine bromide during deployment were associated with lower ACTH levels, controlling for BMI and PTSD. CONCLUSIONS The data provide evidence of HPA axis dysregulation in Gulf War veterans, which may be related to Gulf War deployment exposures. Despite the overlap of chronic unexplained health symptoms and PTSD in GWV, these symptom constellations appear to be biologically distinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Golier
- Department of Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York 10468, USA.
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