Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
Published on: November 30, 2015
The Microbiome in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Exposed Controls: An Exploratory Study
Sian M J Hemmings1, Stefanie Malan-Müller, Leigh L van den Heuvel
1From the Department of Psychiatry (Hemmings, Malan-Müller, van den Heuvel, Seedat), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa; Departments of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (Demmitt, Krauter), Chemistry and Biochemistry (Smith), and Integrative Physiology (Bohr, Stamper, Siebler, McQueen, Lowry), Institute for Behavioral Genetics (Demmitt, Bohr, McQueen, Krauter), and Center for Neuroscience (Lowry), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder; Departments of Epidemiology (Stanislawski), Psychiatry and Neurology (Brenner), and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Brenner, Lowry), and Center for Neuroscience (Lowry), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora; US Department of Veterans Affairs (Stanislawski), Denver, CO; Departments of Pediatrics (Hyde, Marotz, Knight) and Computer Science & Engineering (Morton, Knight), and Center for Microbiome Innovation (Knight), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA; NXT-Dx (Braspenning); Department of Mathematical Modelling (Van Criekinge), Statistics and Bio-informatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Hoisington), United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE) (Hoisington, Brenner, Postolache, Lowry); VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) (Brenner, Postolache, Lowry), Denver, CO; and Department of Psychiatry (Postolache), School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
The gut microbiome composition differs in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Lower levels of Actinobacteria, Lentisphaerae, and Verrucomicrobia correlate with increased PTSD symptom severity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Psychiatry
- Immunoregulation
Background:
- Inadequate immunoregulation and inflammation are potential posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk factors.
- Gut microbiota influences immunoregulation, but its link to PTSD remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate gut microbiome differences in South African individuals with PTSD compared to trauma-exposed (TE) controls.
- Identify potential variations in microbial diversity and community structure associated with PTSD.
Main Methods:
- PTSD diagnosis using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5.
- DNA extraction from stool samples of 18 PTSD and 12 TE participants.
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analysis of microbial community structure, alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity.
- Random forest analysis to identify bacterial taxa associated with PTSD.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in alpha- or beta-diversity between PTSD and TE groups.
- Random forest analysis identified Actinobacteria, Lentisphaerae, and Verrucomicrobia as key phyla distinguishing PTSD status.
- Decreased abundance of these three phyla correlated with higher PTSD symptom scores (r = -0.387, p = .035).
Conclusions:
- Overall gut microbial diversity did not differ between PTSD and TE individuals.
- Reduced abundance of Actinobacteria, Lentisphaerae, and Verrucomicrobia is associated with PTSD status.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
01:27Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle