title: Role of neuroinflammation and sex hormones in war-related PTSD.
abstract: The susceptibility to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is greatly influenced by both innate and environmental risk factors. One of these factors is gender, with women showing higher incidence of trauma-related mental health disorders than their male counterparts. The evidence so far links these differences in susceptibility or resilience to trauma to the neuroprotective actions of sex hormones in reducing neuroinflammation after severe stress exposure. In this review, we discuss the impact of war-related trauma on the incidence of PTSD in civilian and military populations as well as differences associated to gender in the incidence and recovery from PTSD. In addition, the mutually influencing role of inflammation, genetic, and sex hormones in modulating the consequences derived from exposure to traumatic events are discussed in light of current evidence.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology Laboratory, Facultad Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastian, Lientur 1457, Concepción, 4080871, Chile.
authors.forename: Cristhian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C., Colombia; Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Carlos Antúnez 1920, Providencia, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de Salud, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ávila-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology Laboratory, Facultad Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastian, Lientur 1457, Concepción, 4080871, Chile; Research and Development, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines, FL, USA. Electronic address: echeverria.valentina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Echeverria
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D014857:Warfare
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones
keywords: Combat PTSD; Fear; Neuroinflammation; Sex hormones; Stress; Trauma