Elevation of 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 Activity in Holocaust Survivor Offspring: Evidence for an Intergenerational Effect of Maternal Trauma Exposure

Elevation of 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 Activity in Holocaust Survivor Offspring: Evidence for an Intergenerational Effect of Maternal Trauma Exposure

Endocrinology

Amy L Lehrner, Heather N Bader, Louri Makotkine, Jonathan R Seckl, Linda M Bierer, Nikolaos P Daskalakis, Rachel Yehuda

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Vol. 48

2014

Journal article

English

Restricted Access

Adult offspring of Holocaust survivors comprise an informative cohort in which to study intergenerational transmission of the effects of trauma exposure. Lower cortisol and enhanced glucocorticoid sensitivity have been previously demonstrated in Holocaust survivors with PTSD, and in offspring of Holocaust survivors in association with maternal PTSD. In other work, reduction in the activity of the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD-2), which inactivates cortisol, was identified in Holocaust survivors in comparison to age-matched, unexposed Jewish controls. Therefore, we investigated glucocorticoid metabolism in offspring of Holocaust survivors to evaluate if similar enzymatic decrements would be observed that might help to explain glucocorticoid alterations previously shown for Holocaust offspring.

Kristen Walker