Interplay between neuroimmunoendocrine systems during post-traumatic stress disorder: a minireview.
Early life stress has been suggested to mediate vulnerability to affective disorders. Traumatic events experienced in childhood such as sexual abuse and/or physical neglect may lead to psychiatric diseases in adult life, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous studies have focused on adult traumatic events and very little is known regarding the long-term physiological effects of early life stress. Here, we review the complex interplay between most important cognitive, neuroendocrine and immunological changes reported in PTSD, focusing on long-term implications of childhood maltreatment. PTSD has been associated with significant biological changes related to impaired cognitive functions, attenuated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function (hypocortisolism) and activation of innate immune responses (low-grade inflammation).
Faculty of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. mebauer@pucrs.br
Moisés E
ME
Bauer
Andréa
A
Wieck
Rodrigo P
RP
Lopes
Antonio L
AL
Teixeira
Rodrigo
R
Grassi-Oliveira
D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000276:immunology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D006854:Hydrocortisone