Dysregulation of inflammation, neurobiology, and cognitive function in PTSD: an integrative review

Compelling evidence from animal and human research suggest a strong link between inflammation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, recent findings support compromised neurocognitive function as a key feature of PTSD, particularly with deficits in attention and processing speed, exe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive, affective, & behavioral neuroscience affective, & behavioral neuroscience, 2020-06, Vol.20 (3), p.455-480
Main Authors: Quinones, Maria M., Gallegos, Autumn M., Lin, Feng Vankee, Heffner, Kathi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cerebrum - physiopathology
Cognitive Dysfunction - immunology
Cognitive Dysfunction - physiopathology
Cognitive Dysfunction - therapy
Cognitive Psychology
Humans
Inflammation - immunology
Inflammation - physiopathology
Inflammation - therapy
Nerve Net - physiopathology
Neurosciences
Psychology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - immunology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy
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Summary:Compelling evidence from animal and human research suggest a strong link between inflammation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, recent findings support compromised neurocognitive function as a key feature of PTSD, particularly with deficits in attention and processing speed, executive function, and memory. These cognitive domains are supported by brain structures and neural pathways that are disrupted in PTSD and which are implicated in fear learning and extinction processes. The disruption of these supporting structures potentially results from their interaction with inflammation. Thus, the converging evidence supports a model of inflammatory dysregulation and cognitive dysfunction as combined mechanisms underpinning PTSD symptomatology. In this review, we summarize evidence of dysregulated inflammation in PTSD and further explore how the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD, in the context of fear learning and extinction acquisition and recall, may interact with inflammation. We then present evidence for cognitive dysfunction in PTSD, highlighting findings from human work. Potential therapeutic approaches utilizing novel pharmacological and behavioral interventions that target inflammation and cognition also are discussed.
ISSN:1530-7026
1531-135X
DOI:10.3758/s13415-020-00782-9