Sex/Gender Differences in Risk and Resilience to PTSD; Implication of Oxytocin

Inclusion Criteria

1. Ages 18-60.

2. Subjects scoring moderate to severe (>3) on a minimum of one of the five trauma
domains of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

3. Subjects must have experienced, witnessed, or confronted an event(s) that involved
actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of
themselves, or others and the person's response involved intense fear, helplessness,
and/or horror (Criterion A DSM-IV for PTSD), prior to the age of 18.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Subjects with evidence of or a history of head trauma, neurological disorders,
seizures, unconsciousness or any other major medical disorder.

2. Subjects with current (past 90 days) psychotic disorder or bipolar affective disorder.

3. Subjects with any psychoactive substance abuse within the last 30 days as evidenced by
subject report or urine drug screen.

4. Women who are pregnant or nursing.

5. Women who are post-menopausal or have had a full hysterectomy.

6. Subjects who have a BMI greater than 35.

7. Subjects who are unwilling to maintain abstinence from alcohol and caffeine for the
24-hour period prior to the study visits and from illicit drug use for the 72 hour
period prior to study visits.

8. Persons with ferrous metal implants or pacemaker.

9. Subjects who are claustrophobic.

10. Subjects taking endocrine or cardiovascular medications (other than blood pressure
medications) during the 30-day period prior to the study.

11. Subjects with a postive breathalyzer or urine drug screen. Group - Specific
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria Individuals with PTSD Inclusion Criteria

1. Subjects must meet DSM-IV criteria for current (i.e. last 6 months) PTSD. 2. Subjects
may also meet criteria for a mood disorder (except bipolar affective disorder, see
Exclusion Criteria) or other anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia,
generalized anxiety disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder) or past (>90 days) alcohol
dependence. The inclusion of subjects with affective and other anxiety disorders is
essential because of the marked frequency of the co-existence of mood and other anxiety
disorders among patients with PTSD (Brady, Killeen, Brewerton, & Lucerini, 2000; Kessler,
Chiu, Demler, Merikangas, & Walters, 2005).

Exclusion Criteria

1. As above.

2. Substance dependence within the past year, except for nicotine or alcohol. Resilient
Controls Inclusion Criteria

1. As above. Exclusion Criteria

1. Subjects meeting criteria for current or past (i.e. last 90 days) Axis I mood or anxiety
disorders (including PTSD and depression).