Cortisol and post-traumatic stress disorder

Cortisol regulation abnormalities are noticed in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The basal cortisol level is often lowered. The reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) tests stimulation is increased. Exposure to a traumatic event may have more effects than PTSD itself on the HPA axis. At molecular level, some cartisol-related genes are more expressed in case of PTSD. In functional brain imaging, administration of glucocorticoids normalizes the abnormal activation of some areas previously modified by PTSD. Molecules targeting glucocorticoids receptors are used experimentally in animals, with encouraging results.