title: Mitochondrial DNA copy number is reduced in male combat veterans with PTSD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitochondrial abnormalities may be involved in PTSD, although few studies have examined this. Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) in blood cells is an emerging systemic index of mitochondrial biogenesis and function. The present study assessed mtDNAcn in male combat-exposed veterans with PTSD compared to those without PTSD as well as its correlation with clinical scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  mtDNAcn was assessed with a TaqMan multiplex assay in granulocytes of 43 male combat veterans with (n=43) or without (n=44) PTSD. Twenty of the PTSD subjects had co-morbid major depressive disorder (MDD). The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Early Trauma Inventory (ETI) and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) were used for the clinical assessments. All analyses were corrected for age and BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  mtDNAcn was significantly lower in subjects with PTSD (p<0.05). Within the PTSD group, those with moderate PTSD symptom severity had relatively higher mtDNAcn than those with mild or severe symptoms (p<0.01). Within the PTSD group, mtDNAcn was positively correlated with PANAS positive subscale ratings (p<0.01) but was not significantly correlated with PANAS negative subscale, ETI or BDI-II ratings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides the first evidence of: (i) a significant decrease of mtDNAcn in combat PTSD, (ii) a possible "inverted-U" shaped relationship between PTSD symptom severity and mtDNAcn within PTSD subjects, and (iii) a direct correlation of mtDNAcn with positive affectivity within PTSD subjects. Altered mtDNAcn in PTSD may reflect impaired energy metabolism, which might represent a novel aspect of its pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Clinical Sciences, Section for Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Center for Health and Community, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Elissa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Epel
authors.affiliation: Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yehuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flory
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bierer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Iouri
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Makotkine
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Duna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abu-Amara
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Victor I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Reus
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Blackburn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: Owen.Wolkowitz@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Owen M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Wolkowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of OB/GYN and Reproductive Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Synthia H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mellon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D014728:Veterans; D014857:Warfare
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Mitochondria; Mitochondrial DNA; PTSD; Positive affect; Post-traumatic stress disorder; War veterans