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Cited by 50Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchEpigenetics and DNA MethylationChild Abuse and Trauma

Epigenetic Mechanisms Shape the Biological Response to Trauma and Risk for PTSD: A Critical Review

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Heinzelmann, Morgan, Gill, Jessica·2013·Nursing Research and Practice
DOI 10.1155/2013/417010PMC PMC3654332
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Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in approximately one-quarter of trauma-exposed individuals, leading us and others to question the mechanisms underlying this heterogeneous response to trauma. We suggest that the reasons for the heterogeneity relate to a complex interaction between genes and the environment, shaping each individual’s recovery trajectory based on both historical and trauma-specific variables. Epigenetic modifications provide a unique opportunity to elucidate how preexisting risk factors may contribute to PTSD risk through changes in the methylation of DNA. Preexisting risks for PTSD, including depression, stress, and trauma, result in differential DNA methylation of endocrine genes, which may then result in a different biological responses to trauma and subsequently a greater risk for PTSD onset. Although these relationships are complex and currently inadequately described, we provide a critical review of recent studies to examine how differences in genetic and proteomic biomarkers shape an individual’s vulnerability to PTSD development, thereby contributing to a heterogeneous response to trauma.

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  • Immune-related methylation profiles are altered in PTSD.

    “The changes in inflammatory gene expression that have been described in individuals with PTSD are coincident with alterations in epigenetic markers, as immune-related methylation profiles are altered in PTSD (Heinzelmann and Gill, 2013).”

    From Inflammation in Fear- and Anxiety-Based Disorders: PTSD, GAD, and Beyond (2017) · cites this paper as Heinzelmann and Gill, 2013

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Heinzelmann, M., & Gill, J.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Heinzelmann, Morgan
ORCID
Venue
Nursing Research and Practice
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013
Volume
2013
Pages
1-10
ISSN
  • 2090-1429 (ISSN-L)
  • 2090-1437
DOI
10.1155/2013/417010
PMC
PMC3654332
OpenAlex
W2117207468
Cited by
50
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4
FWCI
5.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nursing Research and Practice (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, epigenetics, DNA methylation, gene-environment interaction, depression, stress, proteomic biomarkers, genetic biomarkers, PTSD risk

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