9/11 Healing: Study Tackles Challenge of PTSD
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PTSD - the long held disorder of 9/11 - may be on the way to being healed, today, as researchers compared the psychological data taken from college students involved in a shooting, with genetic variants inside those who developed PTSD/acute later.
"We believe in the strength of this study, to measure and assess PTSD symptoms prior to and after a shared acute traumatic event," said Ressler, M.D Ph.D who led the study, according to a statement by Emory University
Researchers developed a genetic profile, that was most associated with some of the shootings victims, and have shown that it predicts why some appear resilient - but who then turn to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) - and others who aren't able - but then later cope with it - after trauma.
"One of the critical questions surrounding PTSD is why some individuals are at risk for developing the disorder following a trauma, while others appear to be relatively resilient," Kerry J Ressler, said, "...the mechanisms remain relatively unknown."
“It is known that genetic heritability is one component of the differential risk for PTSD, but the mechanisms remain relatively unknown.”
Should this study bear fruit, a blockbuster drug could be developed within the next decade. (Typical drug development is between 8-12 years from genetic findings to available counter-measure).
The research found that a serotonin transporter 1B may play a key role in the development of the disease and are looking at gene pathways that control it.
“Our work sets the stage for therapies that target serotonin 1B receptors.” said Alexander Neumeister of Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
The receptors trigger 'mood' effects on the patient and people susceptible to the disease have lower numbers of receptors than normal, according to Mount Sinai.