Inflammation and Traumatic Stress

Abstract

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that develops following a traumatic event and has substantial health implications, including high rates of health morbidity and mortality, as well as significant health-related costs. Medical risks that are associated with PTSD often have an underlying inflammatory pathology, suggesting that inflammation contributes to these health declines. Objectives and Design: In this critical literature review, the authors examine the medical risks associated with PTSD and the inflammatory mechanisms that likely underlie these risks. Results and Conclusions: The authors offer a review of their “Cells to Society Resiliency Model” to motivate the development of integrative interventions that include factors of society, community, family, individual, physiological, and cellular factors to thereby reduce the health risks associated with PTSD.