Anxiety and mood (대한불안의학회지)
- Volume 5 Issue 1
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- Pages.14-20
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- 2009
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- 2586-0151(pISSN)
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- 2586-0046(eISSN)
Plasma Serotonin Level of Vietnam War Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Symptom Severity
혈장 세로토닌과 외상후 스트레스 장애 : 월남전 참전 재향군인을 대상으로
- Lee, Soo-Young (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- Kang, Suk-Hoon (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Chunchoen National Hospital) ;
- Chung, Moon-Yong (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- Lee, Myung-Hee (Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- Kim, Tae-Young (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- So, Hyung-Seok (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- Chung, Hae-Kyung (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital) ;
- Choi, Jin-Hee (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Veterans Hospital)
- 이수영 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과) ;
- 강석훈 (국립춘천병원 신경정신과) ;
- 정문용 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과) ;
- 이명희 (서울보훈병원 진단검사의학과) ;
- 김태용 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과) ;
- 소형석 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과) ;
- 정혜경 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과) ;
- 최진희 (서울보훈병원 신경정신과)
- Received : 2009.02.10
- Accepted : 2009.03.31
- Published : 2009.04.30
Abstract
Objective : The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between plasma serotonin concentration and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in chronic PTSD patients who have been taking medication. Methods : Plasma serotonin level of 14 PTSD patients and a control group of 28 Vietnam War veterans was measured by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). The Combat Exposure Scale (CES), Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (M-PTSD), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), and Hamiltion Anxiety Scale (HAS) were used to evaluate PTSD symptom severity. Results : Serotonin level was significantly higher in the PTSD group than in the control group (p=0.036, p=0.006, respectively). M-PTSD (p<0.001), CAPS (p<0.001), HRSD (p<0.001), and HAS (p<0.001) scale scores were significantly higher in the PTSD group than in the control group; however, the CES score failed to show a significant improvement (p=0.964). There were no significant differences between plasma serotonin and PTSD symptoms. Conclusion : In chronic PTSD patients who have been taking medications, we can not predict treatment effect and symptom severity by measuring only plasma serotonin levels. PTSD is a complicated disorder which may likely be related to a variety of neurotransmitter systems. Therefore, further research which investigate relationships with norepinephrine, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters as well as serotonin is needed to improve the treatment of PTSD.