Biomarker Correlations in PTSD: IL-18, IRE1, pERK, and ATF6 via Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic mental health condition resulting from exposure to traumatic events. It is associated with long-term neurobiological changes and disturbances in emotional regulation. Understanding the sociodemographic profiles, biomarkers, and emotional control in patients with PTSD helps to better comprehend the impact of the disorder on the body and its clinical course. An analysis of biomarkers such as Interleukin-18 (IL-18), Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1), Phosphorylated Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (pERK), and Activating Transcription Factor–6 (ATF-6) in PTSD patients with varying durations of illness (≤5 years and >5 years) and a control group without PTSD revealed significant differences. Patients with recently diagnosed PTSD (≤5 years) showed markedly elevated levels of inflammatory and cellular stress markers, indicating an intense neuroinflammatory response during the acute phase of the disorder. In the chronic PTSD group (>5 years), the levels of these biomarkers were lower than in the recently diagnosed group, but still significantly higher than in the control group. An opposite trend was observed regarding the suppression of negative emotions, as measured by the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS): individuals with chronic PTSD exhibited a significantly greater suppression of anger, depression, and anxiety than those with recent PTSD or healthy controls. Correlations between biomarkers were strongest in individuals with chronic PTSD, suggesting a persistent neuroinflammatory dysfunction. However, the relationships between biomarkers and emotional suppression varied depending on the stage of PTSD. These findings highlight the critical role of PTSD duration in shaping the neurobiological and emotional mechanisms of the disorder, which may have important implications for therapeutic strategies and patient monitoring.