A new study suggests that the symptoms of PTSD may differ between men and women.Over-awakening, sleep problems worsen in women

Symptoms of PTSD are more severe for women. Image courtesy of MismibaTinasheMadando / Wikimedia Commons

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental disorder that occurs in people who have experienced post-traumatic life events and can have serious life-long consequences.A few the study People with PTSD have been shown to be twice as likely to develop dementia in later years. It also increases the risk of substance abuse, memory problems, anxiety disorders, and other health problems.

Recently, the study It establishes a link between COVID-19-related brain fog and PTSD and requires further awareness of PTSD. What many are unaware of is that men and women can have very different experiences with PTSD, as do heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and even osteoporosis.

Gender difference in PTSD

The American Psychological Association (APA) states that men experience on average more post-traumatic stress in their lifetime than women, yet women are more likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.Journal 2006 Study Psychology breaking news It was found that women are more likely to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse, and that sexual trauma is more likely to cause more serious distress and increase the risk of PTSD.

According to this study, men experience more traumatic events because of their larger (and often traditional) role in war and paramedics. The trauma they experience is likely to be related to accidents, sexual assault, deaths and injuries, disasters and fires, and their response, combat and war experiences. Such experiences may be more frequent for these men, but the trauma they cause does not cause PTSD as often as for women.

PTSD sensitivity, resilience, recovery

Study in European Journal of Psychiatric Traumatology Women generally score higher than men for acute subjective responses and predictors associated with PTSD in 2017, primarily because they evolved to handle traumatic or stressful situations differently. Is suggested. This study suggests that women tend to respond to friendly responses instead of the expected fight-or-flight response to traumatic events (men respond more often).

Their response to trauma is focused on emotional, defensive, and palliative coping, rather than problem-focused coping. That is, women tend to focus on treating, suppressing, or ignoring trauma instead of trying to solve the problem that caused it. Women also tend to seek more social support in the face of trauma, and this lack of support is considered to be the most consistent predictor of PTSD.

Due to these differences in both physiological and psychological responses to trauma, men and women are very different in susceptibility to PTSD, and therefore treatment and recovery for both genders need to be devised accordingly. Is natural. Preclinical studies on these gender differences in PTSD are still sparse and prevent the creation of appropriate care.

Differences in PTSD symptoms between men and women

Results of recent studies published in Molecular psychiatry As scientists at Scripps Research in the United States have set out to map the neurological differences between male and female brains in the face of trauma, they may make a new contribution in this regard. The study was conducted in rodents and scientists examined behavioral and sleep patterns, inflammatory immune responses, and levels of a neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is known to reduce anxiety levels and improve stress resilience.

Researchers have found that men and women have distinct symptoms and brain features associated with PTSD, especially in patterns of GABA signaling. Rodents in men had high GABA receptor function and women showed increased GABA release. This indicates that men may respond better to drugs that regulate GABA than women, making it more difficult for women to get better with the same treatment.

The study also showed that the male immune system releases more cytokines and is therefore more likely to be susceptible to substance abuse. Female rodents did not show the same cytokine response. Men also showed a higher generalization of fear, while women experienced more arousal, sleep disorders and inflammation. These differences in male and female rodent symptoms in the PTSD setting not only make gender differences in PTSD common, but also make this gender-appropriate treatment available to all. It clearly shows that more research is urgently needed in the direction.

For more information Post-traumatic stress disorder..

The Firstpost Health article was created by myUpchar.com, India’s first and largest resource for validated medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to provide all the information about health.