title: Biomarkers of PTSD: military applications and considerations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there are no established biomarkers for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as yet, biological investigations of PTSD have made progress identifying the pathophysiology of PTSD. Given the biological and clinical complexity of PTSD, it is increasingly unlikely that a single biomarker of disease will be identified. Rather, investigations will more likely identify different biomarkers that indicate the presence of clinically significant PTSD symptoms, associate with risk for PTSD following trauma exposure, and predict or identify recovery. While there has been much interest in PTSD biomarkers, there has been less discussion of their potential clinical applications, and of the social, legal, and ethical implications of such biomarkers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article will discuss possible applications of PTSD biomarkers, including the social, legal, and ethical implications of such biomarkers, with an emphasis on military applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature on applications of PTSD biomarkers and on potential ethical and legal implications will be reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biologically informed research findings hold promise for prevention, assessment, treatment planning, and the development of prophylactic and treatment interventions. As with any biological indicator of disorder, there are potentially positive and negative clinical, social, legal, and ethical consequences of using such biomarkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Potential clinical applications of PTSD biomarkers hold promise for clinicians, patients, and employers. The search for biomarkers of PTSD should occur in tandem with an interdisciplinary discussion regarding the potential implications of applying biological findings in clinical and employment settings.
authors.affiliation: James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehrner
authors.affiliation: James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA ; Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yehuda
keywords: Posttraumatic stress disorder; biomarkers; clinical utility; ethics; translation