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Involvement of Anomalous Apoptosis in Impairments to Synaptic Plasticity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure levels of apoptosis and synaptic plasticity marker proteins, i.e., annexin A5 and complexin 2 respectively, as well as the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), in serum from patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in comparison with healthy subjects. Correlations between these parameters were studied. The results obtained here showed that annexin A5 and complexin 2 concentrations in PTSD patients were significantly lower than normal, while TNF-α levels were higher. PTSD patients showed a positive correlation between annexin A5 and complexin 2 levels on the one hand, and a negative correlation between annexin A5 and TNF-α levels on the other. These data lead to the conclusion that the pathogenesis of PTSD is characterized by reduced apoptosis associated with defects in synaptic plasticity. It is suggested that anomalous apoptosis may also be among the factors supporting the development of the chronic inflammation typical of the pathogenesis of PTSD.

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Correspondence to A. S. Boyadzhyan.

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Translated from Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S. S. Korsakova, Vol. 113, No. 1, Iss. I, pp. 26–29, January, 2013.

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Mkrtchyan, G.M., Boyadzhyan, A.S., Avetyan, D.G. et al. Involvement of Anomalous Apoptosis in Impairments to Synaptic Plasticity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Neurosci Behav Physi 44, 442–446 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-014-9930-5

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