Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signal transduction was
examined in lymphocytes and platelets obtained from patients with
posttraumatic stress disorder. Intact lymphocytes from the posttraumatic
patients (N = 10) showed significantly lower basal, isoproterenol-, and
forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels than those from 10 healthy control
subjects. In platelet membrane preparations, basal, forskolin-, aluminum
chloride plus sodium fluoride-, and prostaglandin E1-stimulated adenylate
cyclase activity levels were all significantly lower in the posttraumatic
group than in the control group. The authors discuss the potential role of
their findings as a biological marker for posttraumatic stress
disorder.
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