(Host) Two University of Vermont researchers have found what may be a genetic link to post-traumatic stress disorder.
The UVM professors published in the scientific journal "Nature" work they’ve done with colleagues at Emory University.
They say they’ve found a hormone in women’s blood that’s associated with anxiety. They say they believe it might also be linked to PTSD.
Jom Hammack conducted some of the research at U-V-M. He says more work is needed to conclusive establish a link.
(Hammack) "I think one of the things you have with a lot of these illnesses is a lot of overlapping symptoms. And I think maybe this could help in that sort of diagnosis. We don’t have many markers like that are very specific to PTSD."
(Host) Victory May of the UVM College of Medicine was a lead author of the study.
He agrees the results of the research hold promise. But he says doctors will have to use the new information carefully if they decide to test patients for the hormone involved.
(May) "But I don’t want you to think if you have these levels or if you have these genetic markers that you will develop PTSD. But I think it might say that you might be at risk for it."
(Host) Click here for a link to the research paper in the journal "Nature."