Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
Published on: October 10, 2012
Association of alcohol use biomarkers and cognitive performance in veterans with problematic alcohol use and
Raj K Kalapatapu1, Thomas C Neylan, Mathilda C Regan
1a Department of Psychiatry , University of California , San Francisco , California , USA.
Abstract:
The authors conducted a study of alcohol use biomarkers and cognitive performance among 85 veterans with problematic alcohol use and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All analyses were adjusted for demographics, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase were associated with worse performance on the Trail Making Test Part A and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test. Two other biomarkers were not associated with any neurocognitive measures. Indirect alcohol use biomarkers (e.g., aspartate aminotransferase) may have a specific role in identifying veterans with problematic alcohol use and PTSD who show a change in psychomotor speed and immediate verbal memory performance.

