PTSD linked with blood biomarkers; finding could aid diagnosis, care
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked with a set of biological markers in the blood, according to a new study co-authored by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. These biomarkers could help clinicians diagnose and manage the condition, according to the authors.
The study, conducted with colleagues at Mass General Brigham (MGB) and the Broad Trauma Initiative, was published April 7 in Molecular Psychiatry. Harvard Chan co-authors included lead author Younga Heather Lee, Yingzhe Zhang, Ana Lucia Espinosa Dice, Karestan Koenen, Andrea Roberts, and Natalie Slopen.
“Finding scalable, blood-based biomarkers could help inform timely interventions aimed at mitigating chronic disease risk, which could ultimately improve long-term health outcomes among patients living with PTSD,” said Lee, a department associate in the Department of Epidemiology, in an April 24 MGB press release about the study.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 24,000 adult participants in the Mass General Brigham Biobank, looking at genomic samples and lab test results. They assessed genetic risk, based on known PTSD-related genetic variants, as well as clinical risk, using diagnoses found in the participants’ health records. Using this data, the scientists identified 16 biomarkers linked with both genetic risk for PTSD and diagnostic history of the condition. The biomarkers included cholesterol and glucose levels, liver indicators such as albumin and bilirubin, and red and white blood cell counts. The analysis suggests that PTSD is likely causing changes in these biomarkers, as opposed to the other way around.
“Our study suggests that PTSD could lead to widespread physical changes affecting cardiometabolic health, immune health, and hepatic health,” said Lee. “This multi-system impact helps us understand why untreated PTSD can have such devastating effects on patients’ overall health.”
Read the MGB press release:
Study Identifies Blood Biomarkers Linked to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Read a CTV News article:
PTSD leaves detectable marks in blood, new research reveals
