Title:Synaptic Plasticity in PTSD and associated Comorbidities: The Function and Mechanism for Diagnostics and Therapy
Volume: 24
Issue: 34
Author(s): Mei He, Jing-Xiang Wei, Min Mao, Guo-Yan Zhao, Jun-Jie Tang, Shuang Feng, Xiu-Min Lu *Yong-Tang Wang*
Affiliation:
- College of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054,China
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042,China
Keywords:
Synaptic plasticity, posttraumatic stress disorder, comorbidity, LTP, LTD, glutamatergic ligand-receptor.
Abstract: The studying of synaptic plasticity, the ability of synaptic connections between neurons to be weakened
or strengthened and specifically long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), is one of the
most active areas of research in neuroscience. The process of synaptic connections playing a crucial role in improving
cognitive processes is important to the processing of information in brain. In general, the dysfunction of
synaptic plasticity was involved in a wide spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including some
neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, synaptic plasticity which is a dysfunction reported in neurodegenerative disorders
may also be involved in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety and/or memory disorder developed
after experiencing natural disasters, domestic violence or combat-related trauma. In this review, we mainly
focus on discussing the biological function and mechanism for diagnostics and therapy of synaptic plasticity in
PTSD and associated comorbidities, such as schizophrenia, depression, sleep disturbances and alcohol dependence,
and further studying the molecular mechanisms of PTSD with a particular focus on the LTP/LTD, glutamatergic
ligand-receptor systems, voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor
(BDNF)-tyrosine kinase B (TrkB). The summarized function and mechanism of synaptic plasticity in PTSD and
its comorbidities may help us further understand PTSD and provide insight into novel neuroplasticity modifying
for diagnostics and treatment for PTSD.
