PTSD could be more about stronger mind

Does A Better Memory Equal Greater PTSD Risk?
Strong recall may be genetically associated with heightened flashbacks of trauma and pain, according to new research.
By MAIA SZALAVITZ
May 15, 2012

Thirty-nine percent of the refugees had current symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder marked by a sense of repeatedly re-experiencing the emotional and physical sensations linked to the trauma, often triggered by sensory reminders of the event, like sudden loud noises. People with PTSD typically try to avoid these cues, which can result in isolation and increased distress.

A good memory is typically seen as a powerful advantage, an aid to intelligence and socializing. But when experience is traumatic, this asset may become a serious liability, according to new research on survivors of the Rwandan genocide.

Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland studied a gene for a protein called PKCA, which is known to be involved in the encoding of emotional memories. In healthy Swiss adults, a variant called rs4790904 was found to be associated with visual memory.
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