Inborn differences may help explain why trauma gives some people bad
memories and others the nightmare of post-traumatic stress. Scientists in Germany and the United States have reported
evidence linking genes to anxious behavior. The findings appear in the August
issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological
Association.
By showing that people who carry a common variation of a gene that regulates
the neurotransmitter dopamine have an exaggerated "startle" reflex
when viewing unpleasant pictures, the researchers offer a biochemical
explanation for why some people find it harder to regulate emotional arousal.
Their sensitivity may, in combination with other hereditary and environmental
factors, make them more prone to anxiety disorders.