Metabolic Regulators of Psychological Stress and Brain Trauma-View Presentation

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The symposium, introduced by Charlie Marmer, Chair of Psychiatry at NYU, focused on the ongoing research into PTSD and its relationship with metabolic disorders. The consortium, primarily funded by the Department of Defense, aims to identify molecular pathways in PTSD and TBI, particularly targeting active-duty military and veterans. The ultimate goal is to develop practical laboratory tests for high-throughput screening of PTSD.<br /><br />Three colleagues presented their research efforts. Dr. Baruch Miskanah discussed the correlation between metabolic syndrome and PTSD at both phenotypic and genetic levels, finding significant genetic correlations, especially related to obesity components of metabolic syndrome. Dr. Saeed Mouhi then explored metabolic pathway disruptions in PTSD, revealing insights into how pathways related to homeostasis and inflammation differ between recent and chronic PTSD cases. Dr. Routine Yang investigated the interplay of epigenetics and metabolites in PTSD, focusing on the AHRR pathway, which is related to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. <br /><br />The symposium detailed the methods used, including deep molecular dives involving proteomics, metabolomics, and DNA methylation, to better understand the biological basis of PTSD. Participants discussed findings indicating premature immunosenescence in PTSD, as well as metabolic changes linked to obesity and other comorbidities. The researchers emphasized the importance of understanding these pathways to develop new potential treatments and preventive measures for PTSD, considering complexities introduced by lifestyle and genetic factors.<br /><br />Overall, the research suggests new insights into molecular pathways in PTSD, highlighting the importance of metabolic and inflammatory responses while emphasizing the complexity of such psychiatric disorders.

Keywords

PTSD

metabolic disorders

molecular pathways

TBI

military veterans

genetic correlations

metabolic syndrome

homeostasis

inflammation

epigenetics

proteomics

metabolomics

DNA methylation