ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

›› 2011, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (11): 1651-1657.

• 研究前沿 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Neural Mechanism Underlying Hyperarousal and Its Role in the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

WANG Hui-Ying;DONG Xin-Wen;LI Xiu-Li;LI Yong-Hui   

  1. (1 Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China)
    (2 Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100089, China)
    (3 Yidou Central Hospital at Weifang, Shangdong Province, Weifang 262500, China)
  • Received:2011-03-23 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2011-11-15 Published:2011-11-15
  • Contact: LI Yong-Hui

Abstract: Hyperarousal represents the core symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and plays a significant role in the development of PTSD. Peri-traumatic hyperarousal response predicts the occurrence of the PTSD symptoms like re-experience, avoidance and numbing, and attenuating the magnitude of the arousal response during peri-traumatic period can reduce the risk to develop PTSD symptom. Dysfunction of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis characterized with over-release of norepinephrine (NE) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), but lack of cortisol or corticosterone is one of the most important neural mechanisms which cause and maintain the long-term hyperarousal state. Over-activation of serotonin (5-HT) system is also related to the hyperarousal situation after the traumatic experience. Recently, the role of orexin system in hypothalamus in hyperaroual or stress has attracted a lot of attention, because the orexin system is closely connected with NE, CRF and 5-HT system and it is vital in sleep and arousal transition.

Key words: posttraumatic stress disorder, hyperarousal, orexin