Study Early life stress plus overexpressed FKBP5 protein increases anxiety behavior

[MyPTSD]

A new preclinical study finds that anxiety-like behavior increases when early life adversity combines with high levels of FKBP5 -- a protein capable of modifying hormonal stress response. Moreover, the researchers demonstrate this genetic-early life stress interaction amplifies anxiety by selectively altering signaling of the enzyme AKT in the dorsal hippocampus, a portion of the brain primarily responsible for cognitive functions like learning and memory.

Dead Link Removed

 

[Keming]

And an earlier study with a particularly interesting sentence in the abstract:

"In fact, the same alleles are over-represented in individuals with major depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder."

taking us a step closer to understanding co-morbidity.