Chunk #74 — Comorbidity of Post-traumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder and immune signaling — Post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder
Lifetime trauma, particularly early life adversity, is a major risk factor for development of PTSD and AUD. Systemic inflammation is thought to be a potential overlapping mechanism that mediates increased risk for these diseases (Neupane, 2016; Plantinga et al., 2013; Tursich et al., 2014). Studies of immune activity in PTSD and other psychiatric disorders show disruptions in pro-inflammatory responses among symptomatic individuals, as compared with healthy controls (Baker et al., 2012; Hiles et al., 2012; Modabbernia et al., 2013; Munkholm et al., 2013; Tursich et al., 2014). Similarly, patients with PTSD show increased concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) in peripheral blood compared to healthy controls (Lohr et al., 2015; Passos et al., 2015). Exposure to psychological trauma (e.g., childhood/early life adversity, exposure to violence or assault, combat exposure, accidents, or natural disasters) is positively associated with pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and the presence of psychiatric symptoms is a significant predictor of increased levels of cytokine expression (Tursich et al., 2014). Moreover, circulating levels of IL-1β and IL-6 positively correlate with PTSD duration and severity, respectively (Lohr et al.,
