Biopsychosocial Correlates and Individual Differences for Eliciting Moral Elevation in Veterans With PTSD: An Experimental Case Series.

ABSTRACT: A promising approach to enhancing trauma-focused treatment is moral elevation-feeling inspired by witnessing a virtuous act. This study explored potential links between eliciting elevation and relevant outcomes in a series of case examples. Veterans with probable posttraumatic stress disorder completed experimental tasks including a written trauma narrative exercise and watching elevation-eliciting videos. Participants also completed baseline assessments, repeated measures of trauma-related cognitions, emotions, elevation, and saliva sample collection. Four cases were identified and reviewed: two positive responders (high elevation after videos) and two nonresponders (restricted elevation response). Positive responder cases reported decreased cognitions, emotions, and moral injury distress from after the trauma narrative to after elevation exercises, whereas nonresponders reported minimal to no changes. Positive responders also demonstrated decreases in cortisol, whereas nonresponders demonstrated increases in cortisol. Future work should examine whether elevation contributes to changes in biopsychosocial outcomes and identify individual factors that indicate who might benefit from elevation-based interventions.

Meta-analysis of Cognitive Rehabilitation Interventions in Veterans and Service Members With Traumatic Brain Injuries.

MAIN OBJECTIVE: Cognitive difficulties are some of the most frequently experienced symptoms following mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). There is meta-analytic evidence that cognitive rehabilitation improves cognitive functioning after TBI in nonveteran populations but not specifically within the veteran and service member (V/SM) population. The purpose of the current meta-analysis was to examine the effect of cognitive rehabilitation interventions for V/SMs with a history of mild-to-moderate TBI. DESIGN AND MAIN MEASURES: This meta-analysis was preregistered with PROSPERO (CRD42021262902) and used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist for reporting guidelines. Inclusion criteria required studies to have (1) randomized controlled trials; (2) used adult participants (aged 18 years or older) who were US veterans or active-duty service members who had a history of mild-to-moderate TBI; (3) cognitive rehabilitation treatments designed to improve cognition and/or everyday functioning; (4) used objective neuropsychological testing as a primary outcome measure; and (5) been published in English. At least 2 reviewers independently screened all identified abstracts and full-text articles and coded demographic and effect size data. The final search was run on February 24, 2023, using 4 databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). Study quality and bias were examined using the revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. RESULTS: We identified 8 articles meeting full criteria (total participants = 564; 97% of whom had a history of mild TBI). Compared with control groups, participants showed a small, but significant, improvement in overall objective neuropsychological functioning after cognitive rehabilitation interventions. Interventions focusing on teaching strategies had a larger effect size than did those focusing on drill-and-practice approaches for both objective neuropsychological test performance and performance-based measures of functional capacity. CONCLUSION: There is evidence of cognitive improvement in V/SMs with TBI histories after participation in cognitive rehabilitation. Clinician-administered interventions focusing on teaching strategies may yield the greatest cognitive improvement in this population.

The American Psychosomatic Society Antiracism Task Force: Implementation, Activities, and Lessons Learned.

ABSTRACT: The American Psychosomatic Society (APS) is an international professional society that aims to advance the scientific study of biological, behavioral, and social factors in health among educators, clinicians, and researchers. In pledging to be an antiracist organization in 2020, APS formed the Antiracism Task Force to identify different manifestations of systemic racism within the society and to make recommendations for building a more inclusive and equitable professional organization. The goal of this paper was to be maximally transparent to membership about our activities and lessons learned, as well as offer a case study to other organizations striving toward antiracism. We describe the inaugural year of activities of the APS Antiracism Task Force, which included proposing amendments to the society's bylaws, collecting data on member attitudes toward diversity, and consulting on other member efforts to implement antiracism activities (e.g., increasing access to early career awards). In addition to reflecting on task force and society-specific factors that were facilitative in our first year, we describe future plans and potential challenges we may face as we support sustained commitment to APS's antiracism efforts.

What moderates salivary markers of inflammation reactivity to stress? A descriptive report and meta-regression.

As the assessment of salivary markers of inflammation gains popularity in stress research, understanding factors that influence these markers' reactivity to stress is important. A recent meta-analysis synthesized literature on changes in salivary markers of inflammation in response to acute stressors in adults. As a supplement to this, we present pre-registered moderator analyses of salivary markers of inflammation responses to acute stress. Analyses included data from 27 studies (35 unique study samples). Outcomes were Cohen's d effect sizes for salivary biomarkers interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), from pre- to post-stress. Moderators included: college education levels of the study sample; percent of the study sample that identified as African-American; body mass index (BMI); use of a resting baseline saliva sample; and use of a social evaluative stressor. Descriptive results on saliva sample timing were also examined. Biomarkers peaked 0-60 minutes after the end of the stressor. Before removing influential outliers, no moderators of salivary inflammation reactivity emerged, though not all moderators could be tested due to missing data. After removing one influential outlier study, higher study sample average BMI was associated with greater salivary IL-1ß reactivity to stress (b = 0.41, p=.007). For every 1-unit increase in study sample average BMI, effect sizes for IL-1ß increased by 0.41 units. These findings suggest BMI may be important to examine when assessing salivary markers of inflammation in response to stress. As this field expands, it is important to replicate these results and consider the role of other moderators of salivary markers of inflammation reactivity to stress.

The effect of acute stress on salivary markers of inflammation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Salivary biomarkers of inflammation are increasingly used in stress research. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a quantitative summary of changes in salivary inflammatory markers in response to acute stress. METHOD: The review included 1558 participants (42 unique samples, 33 studies) obtained through electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase), reference treeing, and articles identified by a 2015 review on a similar topic. To be eligible, articles had to be quantitative and assess change in at least one biomarker of salivary inflammation in response to acute stress in adults. The primary outcome was magnitude of change in inflammatory biomarkers (Cohen's d for repeated measures [dav]). RESULTS: Measures of salivary inflammation included: C-reactive protein (CRP), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-18, IL-21, interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Cytokines IL-6 (k = 26, dav = 0.27), IL-10 (k = 11, dav = 0.34), TNF-α (k = 10, dav = 0.57), and IFN-γ (k = 6, dav = 0.28) significantly increased in response to stress. Post hoc sensitivity analyses revealed that IL-1ß (k = 19, dav = 0.16) and IL-8 (k = 7, dav = 0.30) also increased from pre- to post-stress, but findings with IFN-γ did not hold after removing one outlier study. Examination of moderators suggested that study methodology and sample demographics moderated some associations. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis revealed that certain salivary inflammatory cytokines increase in response to acute stress. Significant heterogeneity in results and moderator analyses suggest need for standardization of research protocols. Directions for future research are discussed.

Cortisol as a Biomarker of Alcohol Use in Combat Veterans: A Literature Review and Framework for Future Research.

Objective: Alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are an increasing concern among veterans, particularly those from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study of biomarkers in alcohol use and AUD has moved to enhancing the understanding of the development and maintenance of AUDs, as well as investigating its association with clinical severity and potential predictors of treatment response. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid known as a stress hormone, has been linked with both stress and trauma, as well as increased alcohol suppression effects. Method/Results: The present review summarizes existing literature and presents suggestions for future research to evaluate whether cortisol may be a possible biomarker of alcohol use disorder risk in combat veterans. Specifically, aspects of combat deployments and high levels of PTSD, coupled with the stress of reintegration may dysregulate cortisol and increase risk to AUD. There may also be bidirectional impacts, such that alcohol is used as a coping mechanism and can dysregulate hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and cortisol. Conclusions: In the context of this framework, cortisol may serve as a biomarker for the development of AUD, as well as a biomarker of risk or relapse. This review ends with both theoretical and clinical implications, as well as directions for future research.

The association between history of traumatic events and health-related quality of life among lung cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Promoting health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a primary goal of lung cancer treatment. Trauma history and distress can negatively impact HRQOL. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design examined the associations of trauma history, cancer-specific distress, and HRQOL. SAMPLE/METHOD: Sixty lung cancer patients completed questionnaires on trauma history including the number and severity of traumatic events experienced. Cancer-specific distress, HRQOL, and depression were also reported. FINDINGS: As hypothesized, trauma history and cancer-specific distress were negatively associated with HRQOL (all r's > -.27). Depression emerged as a confound in the association between cancer-specific distress and HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Retrospectively-reported trauma was linked with poorer HRQOL in lung cancer patients. IMPLICATIONS: Interventions aimed at improving lung cancer patients' HRQOL should consider the possible role of trauma history (both frequency and distress).

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT EARLY IN THE U.S. COVID-19 CRISIS: EXPLORING SOCIAL SUPPORT AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR BETWEEN THOSE WITH AND WITHOUT DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY IN AN ONLINE SAMPLE.

INTRODUCTION: Social distancing and sheltering-in-place mitigate the physical health risks of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19); however, there are concerns about the impact on mental health and social engagement. METHODS: We used data from a U.S.-based online survey (March 2020) to examine patterns of social support and prosocial behavior, explore differences between people with and without depression or anxiety, and explore correlates of social engagement in both groups, including symptom severity in the clinical group. RESULTS: The clinical group reported greater social engagement. In both groups, social engagement was positively associated with COVID-19-related worry and trait moral elevation; mindfulness was positively associated with all outcomes for the clinical group only. Social interaction frequency had little influence on outcomes. Depressive symptom severity was positively associated with all outcomes, whereas anxiety was negatively associated with prosocial behavior. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight how social engagement was experienced early in the U.S. COVID-19 crisis.

Acute stress induces increases in salivary IL-10 levels.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress-reactivity of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, in saliva and to determine how salivary IL-10 levels change in relation to those of IL-1ß, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, following stress. Healthy young adults were randomly assigned to retrieve a negative emotional memory (n = 46) or complete a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (n = 45). Saliva samples were taken 10 min before (baseline) and 50 min after (post-stressor) onset of a 10-min stressor, and were assayed using a high sensitivity multiplex assay for cytokines. Measurable IL-10 levels (above the minimum detectable concentration) were found in 96% of the baseline samples, and 98% of the post-stressor samples. Flow rate-adjusted salivary IL-10 levels as well as IL-1ß/IL-10 ratios showed moderate but statistically significant increases in response to stress. Measurement of salivary IL-10 and pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios may be useful, noninvasive tools, in stress research.

Starting early: Case study of mentoring for undergraduate training through the Veterans Health Administration and implications for promoting equity.

Undergraduate mentoring and research internships promote entry into graduate training, academic success, research productivity, and greater career satisfaction. Most pathway programs to enhance representation within academia and health care intervene at the graduate level, leaving a critical gap in undergraduate training. The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) national network of clinicians and researchers is uniquely suited to provide equitable access to quality mentorship and education for undergraduates interested in health care careers. We present a program evaluation case study of a VHA undergraduate training program incorporating empirically supported components that promote success and transition to graduate school, including tiered mentorship, a didactic-preceptor model, hands-on experience, and interdisciplinary work. We describe participant characteristics and consider the program elements that may contribute to trainees' success, highlighting the importance of undergraduate training within a health care system like VHA. We found that all program completers attained their bachelor's degree and nearly 70% advanced to graduate studies. Despite some differences based on participant characteristics, all program components were deemed useful preparation for professional success, with hands-on research experience and mentoring cited as the most helpful. The promising results of our case study demonstrate the feasibility of successfully implementing an undergraduate training program to provide a pathway to advanced careers in health care within the VHA. We posit that programs like ours can serve as a framework for creating pathway training programs that target undergraduates traditionally underrepresented, subsequently empowering them to pursue health care careers, and ultimately increasing diversity by training professionals who are better prepared to assist with diverse patient needs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations of childhood trauma and executive functioning in everyday life of those with subjective cognitive complaints.

Subjective cognitive complaints are a frequent patient-reported problem. Some adults with cognitive complaints present to the neuropsychology clinic without a diagnosable cognitive disorder but experience subjective daily executive dysfunction. It is well-established that trauma may impact executive function; however, the nuances of this relationship remain of interest. The present study descriptively reports associations between executive function and childhood trauma as well as lifetime trauma and current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants were 48 adults referred to a neuropsychology clinic for evaluation without an identified neurocognitive disorder. Correlations between self-reported executive dysfunction, as assessed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A), childhood trauma as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and lifetime and current symptoms using the PTSD Diagnostic Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 were conducted. Correlations indicated that emotional neglect was associated with BRIEF-A indices and specific subscales including self-monitoring, shifting attention, task initiation, and planning/organization. Childhood emotional and sexual abuse and physical neglect and abuse, lifetime trauma and current PTSD symptoms were not associated with BRIEF-A indices. Though preliminary, these results highlight that in this population, history of childhood emotional neglect is particularly important when considering etiology of daily executive function complaints. Clinical implications and limitations are discussed.

Exploring the trajectory and correlates of social isolation for veterans across a 6-month period during COVID-19.

Social isolation is a relevant problem for veterans who are at risk for disengaging from others as a function of transition stress from military life to civilian life, and given high rates of exposure to trauma and psychological distress. Few researchers have examined social isolation in veterans over time, particularly during COVID-19 that led to significant barriers and restrictions on social interactions. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to assess veterans' experience of social isolation and its mental health and social functioning correlates during a 6-month period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 188 United States veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A total of four assessments were administered: one every two months for a total duration of six months. The average number of completed assessments across all participants was 3.70 (SD = 0.75) with 159 participants (84.13%) completing all four timepoints. Surveys included measures of global mental health and social functioning as indicated by perceived emotional support, quality of marriage, and couple satisfaction. Multilevel modeling was used to assess 1) growth models to determine whether social isolation changed over time and the trajectory of that change (i.e., linear or quadratic); and 2) whether social isolation was related to both concurrent and prospective indicators of mental health and social functioning. All analyses included person mean centered and grand mean centered isolation to assess for within-and between-person effects. Veterans reported a quadratic trajectory in social isolation that decreased slightly and stabilized over time. Findings indicate that higher social isolation, at both the within- and between-person level, was negatively associated with concurrent emotional support, mental health, quality of marriage, and couple satisfaction. However, all prospective effects were nonsignificant at the within-person level. Results suggest although isolation may decrease over time, veterans report worse mental health and social functioning during times when they report higher levels of social isolation compared to themselves and others. Future work is needed to determine if interventions can be applied during those times to prevent or target those negative associations.

Mental and Physical Health Changes Following an Abusive Intimate Relationship: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

Longitudinal studies are critical to understanding health changes following trauma. The present systematic review adopted a longitudinal perspective on intimate partner abuse (IPA) by examining characteristics and findings of studies that followed persons who recently left an abusive relationship or who were at a point where they might leave and reported on health over time. Web of Science, EBSCO, Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress, and PubMed databases were searched using combinations of terms reflecting IPA, longitudinal study design, and health outcomes. Quantitative studies that recruited adults or adolescents, had multiple time points, used a health indicator as an outcome, and where IPA was a predictor, independent variable, or inclusion criterion were included. These methods yielded 36 studies from 20 unique samples. The following domains were coded for each article: citation, demographics, risk of bias, sample setting, design, follow-up, relationship and IPA characteristics, outcomes, and analytic focus. Results showed that all samples were female, and most were help-seeking. Depression, post-traumatic stress, and physical symptoms decreased over time, while quality of life increased in most studies. Changes in anxiety symptoms over time were less consistent. Ongoing IPA and social support were the most consistent predictors of health changes over time, showing relations with indicators of poorer or better health, respectively. There was preliminary evidence that decreases in emotional and physical symptoms plateaued within 9 months of the baseline assessment. Sampling, study design, measurement, and analysis are considered, and recommendations for future research are provided.

Understanding associations between rumination and inflammation: A scoping review.

A growing body of evidence suggests that rumination, or focused attention on mental representations of negative events, may have physiological consequences that adversely affect long term health. We conducted a scoping review on quantitative studies of humans examining associations between rumination and inflammation, which included 13 studies representing 14 samples and 1,102 unique participants. The review included 8 biomarkers measured in plasma, serum and saliva (C reactive protein, and C-C motif chemokine 11, interleukin (IL)- 1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha). More consistent findings of an association between greater rumination and increased inflammation were found in studies that used experimental designs and manipulated rumination. Emerging research suggests rumination may interact with other factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, anxiety) to predict inflammation. This review offers an up to date synthesis of the emerging research focused on rumination and inflammation. The relationship between inflammation and rumination may be contingent on how rumination is conceptualized and measured, as well as the measure of inflammation (i.e., at rest/ in response to stress).

Neuromodulation as an Augmenting Strategy for Behavioral Therapies for Anxiety and PTSD: a Narrative Review.

Purpose of Review: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent problem. Despite current treatments, symptoms may persist, and neuromodulation therapies show great potential. A growing body of research suggests that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is effective as a standalone treatment for PTSD, with recent research demonstrating promising use when combined synergistically with behavioral treatments. In this review, we survey this literature including data suggesting mechanisms involved in anxiety and PTSD that may be targeted by neurostimulation. Recent Findings: Evidence suggests the mechanism of action for TMS that contributes to behavioral change may be enhanced neural plasticity via increased functionality of prefrontal and subcortical/limbic structures and associated networks. Some research has demonstrated a behavioral change in PTSD and anxiety due to enhanced extinction learning or improved ability to think flexibly and reduce ruminative tendencies. Growing evidence suggests TMS may be best used as a therapeutic adjunct, at least acutely, for extinction-based exposure therapies in patients by accelerating therapy response. Summary: While TMS has shown promise as a standalone intervention, augmentation with psychotherapy is one avenue of interest. Non-responders to current EBPs might particularly benefit from this sort of targeted approach, and it may shorten treatment length, which would help the successful completion of a course of therapy.

Exploring the longitudinal clustering of lifestyle behaviors, social determinants of health, and depression.

Lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, sleep, smoking, diet, and social interaction are associated with depression. This study aimed to model the complex relationships between lifestyle behaviors and depression and among the lifestyle behaviors. Data from three waves of the Midlife in the United States study were used, involving 6898 adults. Network models revealed associations between the lifestyle behaviors and depression, with smoker status being strongly associated with depression. Depression, smoker status, age, time, and exercise were some of the most central components of the networks. Future lifestyle intervention research might prioritize specific behaviors based on these associations and centrality indices.

Changes in Trauma-Related Cognitions and Emotions After Eliciting Moral Elevation: Examining the Effects of Viewing Others' Virtuous Behavior on Veterans with PTSD.

Moral elevation is described as feeling inspired after witnessing someone perform a virtuous act. Past work suggests the features of moral elevation may be contrary to PTSD, yet few studies have directly tested its impact on relevant symptoms. This experimental study assessed changes in trauma-related cognitions and emotions from after a trauma reminder task to after an elevation induction exercise. We hypothesized that higher elevation after the induction exercise would be associated with greater reductions in cognitions and emotions. Veterans with probable PTSD (N = 38) completed measures of trauma-related cognitions and emotions, once after a written trauma narrative exercise (T1) and again after watching two videos designed to elicit elevation (T2). Veterans also completed measures of state elevation after each video. Results suggest veterans experienced small, significant decreases in self-blame (d = 0.36) and negative beliefs about others (d = 0.46), and medium, significant decreases in guilt (d = 0.68), shame (d = 0.60), and negative beliefs about self (d = 0.69) between T1 and T2. As hypothesized, higher elevation was associated with significantly greater reductions in multiple outcomes above and beyond the effects of general positive affect. Specifically, there were medium effects for changes in shame (ß = -0.42, SE = 0.17, p = .019, Δf 2 = 0.25), negative view of others (ß = -0.34, SE = 0.16, p = .044, Δf 2 = 0.20), and a large effect for changes in negative view of self (ß = -0.31, SE = 0.13, p = .019, Δf 2 = 0.54). These findings suggest elevation may be well-suited to target trauma-related symptoms and future research should further examine its clinical utility.

Resilience predicts posttraumatic cognitions after a trauma reminder task and subsequent positive emotion induction among veterans with PTSD.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 14(S1) of Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (see record 2022-45004-002). In the article (https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001143), the Supplemental materials link was missing from the title page. All versions of this article have been corrected.] Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common problem for veterans. Resilience, the tendency to bounce back from difficult circumstances, is negatively associated with posttraumatic cognitions (PTCs) among individuals with a history of trauma, and it may be important to understand responses to trauma reminders. METHOD: Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined the association between trait resilience and state PTCs in veterans with PTSD (n = 47, Mage = 48.60, 91.8% male) at two points: following a written trauma narrative exposure (Time 1 [T1]), and following a subsequent positive distraction task (i.e., brief, positive video; Time 2 [T2]). RESULTS: After controlling for PTSD symptom severity and combat exposure, resilience was negatively associated with PTCs at T1 (ΔR2 = .19) and T2 (ΔR2 = .13). However, resilience was a poor predictor of change in PTCs from T1 to T2. We also examined the relationship between resilience and subtypes of PTCs: resilience was associated with negative views of the self (T1, ΔR2 = .24) but not negative views of the world or self-blame (T1, ΔR2s ≤ .07); these results were consistent at T2. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, resilience may attenuate negative trauma-related cognitions after trauma recall; however, this study was not designed to test causal pathways. Future research could examine whether resilience-building exercises reduce negative PTCs after trauma reminders among veterans. Additional research is needed to generalize to other trauma-exposed populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring salivary markers of inflammation in health research: A review of methodological considerations and best practices.

There is an increasing interest in using saliva to measure inflammatory biomarkers. Compared to blood, saliva is non-invasive, requires a lower biosafety classification, and requires less specialized personnel to collect. As the assessment of inflammation in saliva becomes more popular in psychoneuroimmunology research, the development of gold-standard methodological practices is paramount. This paper reviews different considerations for designing studies to assess salivary measures of inflammation. We review saliva collection procedures, sample storage and processing considerations, assay techniques, flow rate, correspondence with blood-based markers, and potential demographic and health moderators of levels of salivary markers of inflammation. Together, this review highlights critical gaps for future research, including calls for standardization of study protocols, transparent reporting of results, assessing predictive validity of markers of salivary inflammation for disease, and the need for assessment of participants' oral and general health status. Although additional work is needed to elucidate gold standards for study design, measurement, and analysis, salivary markers of inflammation may be a useful tool for understanding oral and peripheral inflammation dynamics non-invasively.

MicroRNAs as biomarker and novel therapeutic target for posttraumatic stress disorder in Veterans.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric disorder for military Veterans, characterized by hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, hypervigilance, and distress after experiencing traumatic events. Some of the known physiological effects of PTSD include hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis imbalance, a cortical function resulting in neuronal deficit and changes in behavior. Moreover, excessive discharge of inflammatory molecules and a dysregulated immune system are implicated in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Due to complex nature of this disorder, the biological underpinnings of PTSD remain inexplicable. Investigating novel biomarkers to understanding the pathogenesis of PTSD may reflect the underlying molecular network for therapeutic use and treatment. Circulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) and exosomes are evolving biomarkers that have shown a key role in psychiatric and neurological disorders including PTSD. Given the unique nature of combat trauma, as well as evidence that a large portion of Veterans do not benefit from frontline treatments, focus on veterans specifically is warranted. In the present review, we delineate the identification and role of several miRNAs in PTSD among veterans. An association of miRNA with HPA-axis regulation through FKBP5, a key modulator in PTSD is discussed as an emerging molecule in psychiatric diseases. We conclude that miRNAs may be used as circulatory biomarker detection in Veterans with PTSD.