Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Focus on Neuroinflammation

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), gaining increasing attention, is a multifaceted psychiatric disorder that occurs following a stressful or traumatic event or series of events. Recently, several studies showed a close relationship between PTSD and neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation, a defense response of the nervous system, is associated with the activation of neuroimmune cells such as microglia and astrocytes and with changes in inflammatory markers. In this review, we first analyzed the relationship between neuroinflammation and PTSD: the effect of stress-derived activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis on the main immune cells in the brain and the effect of stimulated immune cells in the brain on the HPA axis. We then summarize the alteration of inflammatory markers in brain regions related to PTSD. Astrocytes are neural parenchymal cells that protect neurons by regulating the ionic microenvironment around neurons. Microglia are macrophages of the brain that coordinate the immunological response. Recent studies on these two cell types provided new insight into neuroinflammation in PTSD. These contribute to promoting comprehension of neuroinflammation, which plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PTSD.

Automated summary

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is closely related to neuroinflammation, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of PTSD. Activation of immune cells and changes in inflammatory markers in the brain are involved in neuroinflammation. Understanding the mechanisms of neuroinflammation in PTSD is crucial for studying the disorder.