After huge traumatic events, some people can develop PTSD - a serious disorder that can affect their lives strongly.
The question is, why only some people have it, but not everyone?
A new study tries to understand it.
How it happens (or not happens)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) happens after really bad events.
Not everyone who goes through something tough gets it, but about 25-35% do.
To help people better, a new study looked at stress hormones called glucocorticoids, like cortisol, and how they affect PTSD.
Some people have lower stress hormones when they're upset. The study wanted to find out if this is a risk for PTSD.
They used rats to see if low stress hormones caused problems.
In rats with low stress hormones, they found problems with getting rid of fear, smaller brain parts, and sleep issues.
To fix this, they gave the rats therapy and more stress hormones. It helped them get better and their brain chemicals went back to normal.
Why it's important
This study shows that low stress hormones might make you more likely to get PTSD.
It also causes other problems linked to PTSD. The researchers say it's important for understanding and treating PTSD better.
