Adrenocortical responsiveness to infusions of physiological doses of ACTH is not altered in posttraumatic stress disorder
Date
2009-10-30Author
Radant, Allen D.
Dobie, Dorcas J.
Peskind, Elaine R.
Murburg, M. Michele
Petrie, Eric C.
Kanter, Evan D.
Raskind, Murray A.
Wilkinson, Charles W.
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Show full item recordAbstract
Early studies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reported that abnormal function of the
hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) system was associated with the disorder. However,
subsequent studies attempting to identify a specifi c aspect of HPA dysfunction that characterizes
PTSD have been marked by considerable inconsistency of results. A facet of HPA regulation that
has been considered but not defi nitively investigated is the possibility that the responsiveness
of the adrenal cortex to physiological concentrations of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) is diminished
in PTSD. Relationships between PTSD and the adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA) have also been postulated. In this study we investigated the magnitude and time course
of changes in concentrations of plasma cortisol and DHEA in response to bolus infusions of
physiological doses of ACTH1–24 in PTSD patients and control subjects. We found no evidence
for PTSD-related alterations in cortisol or DHEA secretion in response to stimulation by low
doses of ACTH and conclude that adrenocortical responsiveness is normal in PTSD. Results
from this and other studies suggest that the occurrence of defects in HPA function in PTSD
may be specifi c responses to particular combinations of trauma type, genetic susceptibility,
and individual history.