Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40931166›Full record

ArticleMolecular psychiatry2026

Genetic and epigenetic analysis of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in PTSD.

Mark W Miller, Xiang Zhao, Erika J Wolf, William P Milberg, Catherine B Fortier, Mark W Logue

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mark W MillerNational Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA. mark.miller5@va.gov.ORCID 0000-0001-6393-8563
Xiang ZhaoDepartment of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1720-5996
Erika J WolfNational Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2666-2435
William P MilbergNational Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
Catherine B FortierNational Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
Mark W LogueNational Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.

Funding

Longitudinal Neurometabolic Outcomes of Traumatic Stress-Related Accelerated Cellular AgingRF1AG068121 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WOLF, ERIKA J · 2020 to 2020
$1.7M
Longitudinal Neurometabolic Outcomes of Traumatic Stress-Related Accelerated Cellular AgingR01AG068121 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WOLF, ERIKA J · 2024 to 2024
$639k
BLRD VA I01 BX003477BLRD VA I01 BX006549CSRD VA I01 CX000431NIA NIH HHS R01 AG068121NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG068121RRD VA I50 RX003001U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Aging (U.S. National Institute on Aging) 1RF1AG068121-01U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Department of Veterans Affairs) 1I01BX006549-01U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Department of Veterans Affairs) B3001-C
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is an astrocytic marker that can be assessed in blood using single molecule array technology. Recent studies suggest that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have suppressed circulating levels of this CNS biomarker. This study examined the hypothesis that PTSD and plasma GFAP levels share common genetic and epigenetic pathways. Using data from 1096 veterans and civilians, we computed a PTSD polygenic risk score (PRS) derived from a prior PTSD genomewide association study (GWAS) and found that PTSD severity and the PRS were each associated with reduced levels of GFAP. To clarify the basis of the PRS association, we performed a GWAS of GFAP which identified 20 genomewide-significant loci including genes implicated in independent GWASs of PTSD and neurodegenerative disease (e.g., PRKN, NFIA). Comparison of the PTSD and GFAP GWAS results showed that PTSD-associated genes were significantly enriched in the GFAP results with notable overlap involving NPSR1 and the protocadherin alpha (PCDHA) gene cluster. Similarly, we performed an epigenomewide association study (EWAS) of GFAP, which identified 4 genomewide-significant associations (including loci in MCT4 and SREBF1) and then compared those results to the findings of a PTSD EWAS. Results again showed significantly greater overlap than would be expected by chance and included loci implicated in prior studies of depression, dementia, and inflammation. This study clarifies the genetic and epigenetic basis of the association between PTSD and plasma GFAP levels and should encourage future research into the role of GFAP in the pathophysiology of PTSD.

Indexed as

Glial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAdultBiomarkersEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single NucleotideVeteransBiomarkersGFAP protein, humanGlial Fibrillary Acidic Protein

Identifiers

PMID40931166
PMCPMC12478205

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.