MedPage Today (2/18, Walsh) reported, “Whether soldiers in combat develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) depends on their perception and attention to threat, the intensity of combat they are exposed to, and genetic susceptibility,” according to a study published online Feb. 13 in JAMA Psychiatry. The study, which included 1,085 Israeli soldiers followed for two years, revealed “a significant interaction…between attention to threat and degree of combat exposure (β = −0.73, 95% CI −0.45 to −0.08, P<0.004)." In addition, "a three-way interaction was observed between pre-deployment threat bias, combat exposure, and a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (β = 0.62, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.19, P<0.01)," the study found. The study was partially supported by the National Institute of Mental Health. Related Links:
— “Combat PTSD Tied to Intensity of Fight, “Nancy Walsh, Medpage Today, February 17, 2013.