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When Trauma Gets Under the Skin: PTSD and the Biology of Aging

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Post-traumatic stress disorder is usually described in psychological terms: intrusive memories, hypervigilance, disturbed sleep, anxiety and emotional numbness. But a growing body of research suggests that the effects of severe trauma may extend far beyond the mind. A recent study published in Nature Communications offers a striking view of what this might look like at the molecular level. Studying blood samples from World Trade Center responders, researchers found that people with PTSD showed a distinctive pattern of changes in proteins and metabolites—changes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, altered energy metabolism and biological aging. The implication is important: PTSD may not simply coexist with poorer physical health. It may be associated with a systemic biological state that resembles accelerated aging. Looking at thousands of molecules at once The researchers examined 393 World Trade Center responders, including 232 people with PTSD and 161 trauma-exposed indi...
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Prolactin, Other Hormones, and Pituitary Gland Dysfunction

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The pituitary gland is a small gland located at the base of the brain, but it plays a major role in controlling the body’s hormonal system. It produces several important hormones, including prolactin, growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Through these hormones, the pituitary influences growth, reproduction, thyroid function, stress responses, and breast-milk production. Prolactin and Its Regulation Prolactin is best known for stimulating breast-milk production after childbirth. It is produced mainly by lactotroph cells in the anterior pituitary gland, although prolactin can also be produced locally in tissues such as the uterus, mammary glands, immune system, and parts of the nervous system. Prolactin secretion is unusual because it is normally kept under inhibition by dopamine, a neurotransmitter released by the hypothalamus. Dopamine signals the pituitary...
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Am I an Introvert or an Extrovert?

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After reading numerous papers on psychology and neuroscience over the years, I have found Professor Robert Sapolsky’s discussion, “Introversion/Extroversion Neuroscience,” to offer the most compelling explanation of the distinction between introversion and extroversion.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf8lzAtRwrY Here is a summary of his presentation: The Neuroscience of Introversion and Extroversion The distinction between introversion and extroversion is one of the oldest subjects in personality psychology. Extroverts are generally described as socially active, energetic, verbal, assertive, enthusiastic, sensation-seeking, and attracted to novelty, while introverts tend to be quieter, more reserved, reflective, and comfortable with solitary activities. From a neuroscience perspective, however, the distinction is much more complicated. Professor Robert Sapolsky argues that much of the existing neurobiological literature may tell us less than researchers once assumed. Th...
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