Endocannabinoid Activity and Socioenvironmental Deprivation as Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Patients From a Level I Trauma Center

The enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) impacts endocannabinoid activity and may affect stress reactivity among trauma-exposed individuals. Recent research shows that FAAH variation may protect against anxious arousal by inhibiting FAAH activity. We tested the FAAH A/A allele as predictive of future post-traumatic stress symptoms among a trauma-exposed sample. We also evaluated the impact of socioenvironmental resource deprivation, given the importance of resources available to trauma-exposed patients in coping and recovery.