Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor 1 (CRHR1) Polymorphisms and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

This chapter begins with a review of the epidemiology of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), followed by a summary of the current literature on the genetics of the disorder. Next, the stress response and its relationship to the neurobiology of PTSD are provided, followed by a description of the CRHR1 gene. After this, the literature regarding variation in CRHR1 in relation to the HPA axis is reviewed, and then four individual studies analyzing CRHR1 polymorphisms in the context of PTSD are compared and contrasted. Additionally, a brief description of the literature covering CRHR1 and other forms of psychopathology is presented. The chapter concludes with a summary and synthesis of the presented information.