Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The contents of this publication do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government. The dopamine transporter DAT1 gene has been postulated to be involved in PTSD; however, existing studies have shown inconsistencies when examining genotypic and allelic associations. DAT1 genotype was also associated with statistically significant mean total CAPS scores, both when dichotomized and trichotomized.
Posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD is a common and debilitating psychiatric illness. Although the majority of civilians and veterans are exposed to traumatic events, most do not subsequently develop PTSD.
Thus, identification of predictors of the development of PTSD following exposure to trauma is critically needed to further advance prevention and treatment interventions.
The dopaminergic system has been a focused target of interest in PTSD research. Dopamine has been implicated in learning, fear and stress response Graham et al. Abnormal dopamine-associated biological and molecular processes have been correlated with PTSD diagnosis, including symptoms such as poor concentration, flashbacks and hyperarousal Hamner and Diamond, ; Hamner and Gold, ; Yehuda et al.
Dopamine transporters are involved in the reuptake process through regulation of dopamine levels at the synapses Li et al. DAT1 gene is located on chromosome 5q Previous studies conducted among civilians, however, have yielded mixed results Bailey et al. Existing studies of DAT1 gene in the general population contain moderate sample sizes e. Furthermore, these studies are limited by inclusion of participants with heterogenous trauma types e.
