Gene Linked to Stress Disorder

A gene that may influence an individual's susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder has been identified by psychologists at Emory University, Time reports. A study of low-income African-American adults in the Atlanta area, 80% of whom had experienced trauma, found that certain versions of a gene were linked to higher PTSD rates in those who had a history of earlier trauma, such as child abuse or violence.

These findings could help point to why some soldiers who experience battlefield horrors suffer from PTSD and some don't, as well as why some people can leave childhood trauma behind them while others remain debilitated by it. And it could lead to screening for high-risk groups—such as military special forces—though "the science isn't there yet." (More mental health stories.)