IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Author "Harte, Steven E."

Browsing by Author "Harte, Steven E."

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Brain-Based Biotypes of Psychiatric Vulnerability in the Acute Aftermath of Trauma
(American Psychiatric Association, 2021) Stevens, Jennifer S.; Harnett, Nathaniel G.; Lebois, Lauren A.M.; van Rooij, Sanne J.H.; Ely, Timothy D.; Roeckner, Alyssa; Vincent, Nico; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Zeng, Donglin; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Germine, Laura T.; Rauch, Scott L.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Storrow, Alan B.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Haran, John P.; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Lyons, Michael S.; Kurz, Michael C.; McGrath, Meghan E.; Pascual, Jose L.; Datner, Elizabeth M.; Chang, Anna M.; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Domeier, Robert M.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Rathlev, Niels K.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Joormann, Jutta; Barch, Deanna M.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Sheridan, John F.; Luna, Beatriz; Harte, Steven E.; Elliott, James M.; Murty, Vishnu P.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Bruce, Steven E.; House, Stacey L.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Koenen, Karestan C.; McLean, Samuel A.; Ressler, Kerry J.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Objective: Major negative life events, such as trauma exposure, can play a key role in igniting or exacerbating psychopathology. However, few disorders are diagnosed with respect to precipitating events, and the role of these events in the unfolding of new psychopathology is not well understood. The authors conducted a multisite transdiagnostic longitudinal study of trauma exposure and related mental health outcomes to identify neurobiological predictors of risk, resilience, and different symptom presentations. Methods: A total of 146 participants (discovery cohort: N=69; internal replication cohort: N=77) were recruited from emergency departments within 72 hours of a trauma and followed for the next 6 months with a survey, MRI, and physiological assessments. Results: Task-based functional MRI 2 weeks after a motor vehicle collision identified four clusters of individuals based on profiles of neural activity reflecting threat reactivity, reward reactivity, and inhibitory engagement. Three clusters were replicated in an independent sample with a variety of trauma types. The clusters showed different longitudinal patterns of posttrauma symptoms. Conclusions: These findings provide a novel characterization of heterogeneous stress responses shortly after trauma exposure, identifying potential neuroimaging-based biotypes of trauma resilience and psychopathology.
Disentangling sex differences in PTSD risk factors
(Springer Nature, 2024) Haering, Stephanie; Seligowski, Antonia V.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Michopoulos, Vasiliki; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Germine, Laura T.; Rauch, Scott L.; Haran, John P.; Storrow, Alan B.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Swor, Robert A.; Gentile, Nina T.; Hudak, Lauren A.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Merchant, Roland C.; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Bruce, Steven E.; Harte, Steven E.; McLean, Samuel A.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Powers, Abigail; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Despite extensive research on sex/gender differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Here we present a systematic overview of three sex/gender-related risk pathways. We assessed 16 risk factors as well as 3-month PTSD severity in a prospective cohort study (n=2924) of acutely traumatized individuals and investigated potential mediators in the pathway between sex assigned at birth and PTSD severity using multiple mediation analysis with regularization. Six risk factors were more prevalent/severe in women, and none were more pronounced in men. Analyses showed that acute stress disorder, neuroticism, lifetime sexual assault exposure, anxiety sensitivity, and pre-trauma anxiety symptoms fully mediated and uniquely contributed to the relationship between sex assigned at birth and PTSD severity. Our results demonstrate different risk mechanisms for women and men. Such knowledge can inform targeted interventions. Our systematic approach to differential risk pathways can be transferred to other mental disorders to guide sex- and gender-sensitive mental health research.
Inflammation and autoimmunity are interrelated in patients with sickle cell disease at a steady-state condition: implications for vaso-occlusive crisis, pain, and sensory sensitivity
(Frontiers Media, 2024-02-01) Li, Wei; Pucka, Andrew Q.; Debats, Candice; Reyes, Brandon A.; Syed, Fahim; O’Brien, Andrew R. W.; Mehta, Rakesh; Manchanda, Naveen; Jacob, Seethal A.; Hardesty, Brandon M.; Greist, Anne; Harte, Steven E.; Harris, Richard E.; Yu, Qigui; Wang, Ying; Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
This study aimed to comprehensively analyze inflammatory and autoimmune characteristics of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) at a steady-state condition (StSt) compared to healthy controls (HCs) to explore the pathogenesis of StSt and its impact on patients’ well-being. The study cohort consisted of 40 StSt participants and 23 HCs enrolled between July 2021 and April 2023. StSt participants showed elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts and altered hematological measurements when compared to HCs. A multiplex immunoassay was used to profile 80 inflammatory cytokines/chemokines/growth factors in plasma samples from these SCD participants and HCs. Significantly higher plasma levels of 35 analytes were observed in SCD participants, with HGF, IL-18, IP-10, and MCP-2 being among the most significantly affected analytes. Additionally, autoantibody profiles were also altered, with elevated levels of anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-Ribosomal P, anti-Myeloperoxidase (MPO), and anti-PM/Scl-100 observed in SCD participants. Flow cytometric analysis revealed higher rates of red blood cell (RBC)/reticulocyte-leukocyte aggregation in SCD participants, predominantly involving monocytes. Notably, correlation analysis identified associations between inflammatory mediator levels, autoantibodies, RBC/reticulocyte-leukocyte aggregation, clinical lab test results, and pain crisis/sensitivity, shedding light on the intricate interactions between these factors. The findings underscore the potential significance of specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets that may hold promise for future investigations and clinical interventions tailored to the unique challenges posed by SCD. In addition, the correlations between vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC)/pain/sensory sensitivity and inflammation/immune dysregulation offer valuable insights into the pathogenesis of SCD and may lead to more targeted and effective therapeutic strategies.
Neurocognition after motor vehicle collision and adverse post-traumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae within 8 weeks: Initial findings from the AURORA study
(Elsevier, 2022) Germine, Laura T.; Joormann, Jutta; Passell, Eliza; Rutter, Lauren A.; Scheuer, Luke; Martini, Paolo; Hwang, Irving; Lee, Sue; Sampson, Nancy; Barch, Deanna M.; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Zeng, Donglin; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Clifford, Gari D.; Neylan, Thomas C.; Rauch, Scott L.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Storrow, Alan B.; Musey, Paul I.; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittney E.; McGrath, Meghan E.; Pascual, Jose L.; Mohiuddin, Kamran; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Domeier, Robert M.; Bruce, Steven E.; Rathlev, Niels K.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Harte, Steven E.; Elliott, James M.; Koenen, Karesten C.; Ressler, Kerry J.; McLean, Samuel A.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Previous work has indicated that differences in neurocognitive functioning may predict the development of adverse post-traumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS). Such differences may be vulnerability factors or simply correlates of APNS-related symptoms. Longitudinal studies that measure neurocognitive functioning at the time of trauma are needed to determine whether such differences precede the development of APNS. Methods: Here, we present findings from a subsample of 666 ambulatory patients from the AURORA (Advancing Understanding of RecOvery afteR trumA) study. All patients presented to EDs after a motor vehicle collision (MVC). We examined associations of neurocognitive test performance shortly after MVC with peritraumatic symptoms in the ED and APNS (depression, post-traumatic stress, post-concussive symptoms, and pain) 2 weeks and 8 weeks later. Neurocognitive tests assessed processing speed, attention, verbal reasoning, memory, and social perception. Results: Distress in the ED was associated with poorer processing speed and short-term memory. Poorer short-term memory was also associated with depression at 2 weeks post-MVC, even after controlling for peritraumatic distress. Finally, higher vocabulary scores were associated with pain 2 weeks post-MVC. Limitations: Self-selection biases among those who present to the ED and enroll in the study limit generalizability. Also, it is not clear whether observed neurocognitive differences predate MVC exposure or arise in the immediate aftermath of MVC exposure. Conclusions: Our results suggest that processing speed and short-term memory may be useful predictors of trauma-related characteristics and the development of some APNS, making such measures clinically-relevant for identifying at-risk individuals.
Persistent Dissociation and Its Neural Correlates in Predicting Outcomes After Trauma Exposure
(American Psychiatric Association, 2022) Lebois, Lauren A. M.; Harnett, Nathaniel G.; van Rooij, Sanne J. H.; Ely, Timothy D.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Bruce, Steven E.; House, Stacey L.; Ravichandran, Caitlin; Dumornay, Nathalie M.; Finegold, Katherine E.; Hill, Sarah B.; Merker, Julia B.; Phillips, Karlye A.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Germine, Laura T.; Rauch, Scott L.; Haran, John P.; Storrow, Alan B.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Swor, Robert A.; McGrath, Meghan E.; Hudak, Lauren A.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Datner, Elizabeth M.; Chang, Anna M.; Pearson, Claire; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Sergot, Paulina; Sanchez, Leon D.; Miller, Mark W.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Joormann, Jutta; Barch, Deanna M.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Sheridan, John F.; Smoller, Jordan W.; Luna, Beatriz; Harte, Steven E.; Elliott, James M.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Koenen, Karestan C.; McLean, Samuel A.; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Ressler, Kerry J.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Objective: Dissociation, a disruption or discontinuity in psychological functioning, is often linked with worse psychiatric symptoms; however, the prognostic value of dissociation after trauma is inconsistent. Determining whether trauma-related dissociation is uniquely predictive of later outcomes would enable early identification of at-risk trauma populations. The authors conducted the largest prospective longitudinal biomarker study of persistent dissociation to date to determine its predictive capacity for adverse psychiatric outcomes following acute trauma. Methods: All data were part of the Freeze 2 data release from the Advancing Understanding of Recovery After Trauma (AURORA) study. Study participants provided self-report data about persistent derealization (N=1,464), a severe type of dissociation, and completed a functional MRI emotion reactivity task and resting-state scan 2 weeks posttrauma (N=145). Three-month follow-up reports were collected of posttraumatic stress, depression, pain, anxiety symptoms, and functional impairment. Results: Derealization was associated with increased ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activation in the emotion reactivity task and decreased resting-state vmPFC connectivity with the cerebellum and orbitofrontal cortex. In separate analyses, brain-based and self-report measures of persistent derealization at 2 weeks predicted worse 3-month posttraumatic stress symptoms, distinct from the effects of childhood maltreatment history and current posttraumatic stress symptoms. Conclusions: The findings suggest that persistent derealization is both an early psychological and biological marker of worse later psychiatric outcomes. The neural correlates of trauma-related dissociation may serve as potential targets for treatment engagement to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder. These results underscore dissociation assessment as crucial following trauma exposure to identify at-risk individuals, and they highlight an unmet clinical need for tailored early interventions.
Post-traumatic stress and future substance use outcomes: leveraging antecedent factors to stratify risk
(Frontiers Media, 2024-03-08) Garrison-Desany, Henri M.; Meyers, Jacquelyn L.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Zeng, Donglin; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Germine, Laura T.; Bollen, Kenneth A.; Rauch, Scott L.; Haran, John P.; Storrow, Alan B.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Swor, Robert A.; Gentile, Nina T.; Hudak, Lauren A.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Harris, Erica; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; O’Neil, Brian J.; Sergot, Paulina; Sanchez, Leon D.; Bruce, Steven E.; Joormann, Jutta; Harte, Steven E.; McLean, Samuel A.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Denckla, Christy A.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis) are highly comorbid. Many factors affect this relationship, including sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics, other prior traumas, and physical health. However, few prior studies have investigated this prospectively, examining new substance use and the extent to which a wide range of factors may modify the relationship to PTSD. Methods: The Advancing Understanding of RecOvery afteR traumA (AURORA) study is a prospective cohort of adults presenting at emergency departments (N = 2,943). Participants self-reported PTSD symptoms and the frequency and quantity of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use at six total timepoints. We assessed the associations of PTSD and future substance use, lagged by one timepoint, using the Poisson generalized estimating equations. We also stratified by incident and prevalent substance use and generated causal forests to identify the most important effect modifiers of this relationship out of 128 potential variables. Results: At baseline, 37.3% (N = 1,099) of participants reported likely PTSD. PTSD was associated with tobacco frequency (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.003, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01, p = 0.02) and quantity (IRR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.01, p = 0.01), and alcohol frequency (IRR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.004, p = 0.03) and quantity (IRR: 1.003, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.01, p = 0.001), but not with cannabis use. There were slight differences in incident compared to prevalent tobacco frequency and quantity of use; prevalent tobacco frequency and quantity were associated with PTSD symptoms, while incident tobacco frequency and quantity were not. Using causal forests, lifetime worst use of cigarettes, overall self-rated physical health, and prior childhood trauma were major moderators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and the three substances investigated. Conclusion: PTSD symptoms were highly associated with tobacco and alcohol use, while the association with prospective cannabis use is not clear. Findings suggest that understanding the different risk stratification that occurs can aid in tailoring interventions to populations at greatest risk to best mitigate the comorbidity between PTSD symptoms and future substance use outcomes. We demonstrate that this is particularly salient for tobacco use and, to some extent, alcohol use, while cannabis is less likely to be impacted by PTSD symptoms across the strata.
Prognostic neuroimaging biomarkers of trauma-related psychopathology: resting-state fMRI shortly after trauma predicts future PTSD and depression symptoms in the AURORA study
(Springer Nature, 2021) Harnett, Nathaniel G.; van Rooij, Sanne J.H.; Ely, Timothy D.; Lebois, Lauren A.M.; Murty, Vishnu P.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Hill, Sarah B.; Dumornay, Nathalie M.; Merker, Julia B.; Bruce, Steve E.; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Zeng, Donglin; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Germine, Laura T.; Bollen, Kenneth A.; Rauch, Scott L.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Storrow, Alan B.; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Haran, John P.; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Swor, Robert A.; McGrath, Meghan E.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Mohiuddin, Kamran; Chang, Anna M.; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Joormann, Jutta; Barch, Deanna M.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Sheridan, John F.; Harte, Steven E.; Elliott, James M.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Mclean, Samuel; Ressler, Kerry J.; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Neurobiological markers of future susceptibility to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may facilitate identification of vulnerable individuals in the early aftermath of trauma. Variability in resting-state networks (RSNs), patterns of intrinsic functional connectivity across the brain, has previously been linked to PTSD, and may thus be informative of PTSD susceptibility. The present data are part of an initial analysis from the AURORA study, a longitudinal, multisite study of adverse neuropsychiatric sequalae. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 109 recently (i.e., ~2 weeks) traumatized individuals were collected and PTSD and depression symptoms were assessed at 3 months post trauma. We assessed commonly reported RSNs including the default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), and salience network (SN). We also identified a proposed arousal network (AN) composed of a priori brain regions important for PTSD: the amygdala, hippocampus, mamillary bodies, midbrain, and pons. Primary analyses assessed whether variability in functional connectivity at the 2-week imaging timepoint predicted 3-month PTSD symptom severity. Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to AN connectivity at 2 weeks post trauma was negatively related to 3-month PTSD symptoms. Further, right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) to DMN connectivity was positively related to 3-month PTSD symptoms. Both DLPFC-AN and ITG-DMN connectivity also predicted depression symptoms at 3 months. Our results suggest that, following trauma exposure, acutely assessed variability in RSN connectivity was associated with PTSD symptom severity approximately two and a half months later. However, these patterns may reflect general susceptibility to posttraumatic dysfunction as the imaging patterns were not linked to specific disorder symptoms, at least in the subacute/early chronic phase. The present data suggest that assessment of RSNs in the early aftermath of trauma may be informative of susceptibility to posttraumatic dysfunction, with future work needed to understand neural markers of long-term (e.g., 12 months post trauma) dysfunction. Furthermore, these findings are consistent with neural models suggesting that decreased top-down cortico-limbic regulation and increased network-mediated fear generalization may contribute to ongoing dysfunction in the aftermath of trauma.
A prospective examination of sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning
(Elsevier, 2021-08-21) Seligowski, Antonia V.; Steuber, Elizabeth R.; Hinrichs, Rebecca; Reda, Mariam H.; Wiltshire, Charis N.; Wanna, Cassandra P.; Winters, Sterling J.; Phillips, Karlye A.; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Zeng, Donglin; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Germine, Laura T.; Bollen, Kenneth A.; Guffanti, Guia; Rauch, Scott L.; Haran, John P.; Storrow, Alan B.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Kurz, Michael C.; Murty, Vishnu P.; McGrath, Meghan E.; Hudak, Lauren A.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Datner, Elizabeth M.; Chang, Anna M.; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Merchant, Roland C.; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Bruce, Steven E.; Miller, Mark W.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Joormann, Jutta; Barch, Deanna M.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Sheridan, John F.; Luna, Beatriz; Harte, Steven E.; Elliott, James M.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Kessler, Ronald C.; McLean, Samuel A.; Ressler, Kerry J.; Jovanovic, Tanja; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Cross-sectional studies have found that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit deficits in autonomic functioning. While PTSD rates are twice as high in women compared to men, sex differences in autonomic functioning are relatively unknown among trauma-exposed populations. The current study used a prospective design to examine sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning. Methods: 192 participants were recruited from emergency departments following trauma exposure (Mean age = 35.88, 68.2% female). Skin conductance was measured in the emergency department; fear conditioning was completed two weeks later and included measures of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV). PTSD symptoms were assessed 8 weeks after trauma. Results: 2-week systolic BP was significantly higher in men, while 2-week HR was significantly higher in women, and a sex by PTSD interaction suggested that women who developed PTSD demonstrated the highest HR levels. Two-week HF-HRV was significantly lower in women, and a sex by PTSD interaction suggested that women with PTSD demonstrated the lowest HF-HRV levels. Skin conductance response in the emergency department was associated with 2-week HR and HF-HRV only among women who developed PTSD. Conclusions: Our results indicate that there are notable sex differences in autonomic functioning among trauma-exposed individuals. Differences in sympathetic biomarkers (BP and HR) may have implications for cardiovascular disease risk given that sympathetic arousal is a mechanism implicated in this risk among PTSD populations. Future research examining differential pathways between PTSD and cardiovascular risk among men versus women is warranted.
Sex-dependent differences in vulnerability to early risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder: results from the AURORA study
(Cambridge University Press, 2024) Haering, Stephanie; Seligowski, Antonia V.; Linnstaedt, Sarah D.; Michopoulos, Vasiliki; House, Stacey L.; Beaudoin, Francesca L.; An, Xinming; Neylan, Thomas C.; Clifford, Gari D.; Germine, Laura T.; Rauch, Scott L.; Haran, John P.; Storrow, Alan B.; Lewandowski, Christopher; Musey, Paul I., Jr.; Hendry, Phyllis L.; Sheikh, Sophia; Jones, Christopher W.; Punches, Brittany E.; Swor, Robert A.; Gentile, Nina T.; Hudak, Lauren A.; Pascual, Jose L.; Seamon, Mark J.; Pearson, Claire; Peak, David A.; Merchant, Roland C.; Domeier, Robert M.; Rathlev, Niels K.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Sanchez, Leon D.; Bruce, Steven E.; Harte, Steven E.; McLean, Samuel A.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Stevens, Jennifer S.; Powers, Abigail; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Knowledge of sex differences in risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can contribute to the development of refined preventive interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine if women and men differ in their vulnerability to risk factors for PTSD. Methods: As part of the longitudinal AURORA study, 2924 patients seeking emergency department (ED) treatment in the acute aftermath of trauma provided self-report assessments of pre- peri- and post-traumatic risk factors, as well as 3-month PTSD severity. We systematically examined sex-dependent effects of 16 risk factors that have previously been hypothesized to show different associations with PTSD severity in women and men. Results: Women reported higher PTSD severity at 3-months post-trauma. Z-score comparisons indicated that for five of the 16 examined risk factors the association with 3-month PTSD severity was stronger in men than in women. In multivariable models, interaction effects with sex were observed for pre-traumatic anxiety symptoms, and acute dissociative symptoms; both showed stronger associations with PTSD in men than in women. Subgroup analyses suggested trauma type-conditional effects. Conclusions: Our findings indicate mechanisms to which men might be particularly vulnerable, demonstrating that known PTSD risk factors might behave differently in women and men. Analyses did not identify any risk factors to which women were more vulnerable than men, pointing toward further mechanisms to explain women's higher PTSD risk. Our study illustrates the need for a more systematic examination of sex differences in contributors to PTSD severity after trauma, which may inform refined preventive interventions.

Browsing by Author "Harte, Steven E."

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