Trauma & the Brain: New Study Findings
- Witnessing a traumatic event can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in about 10% of all cases.
- Virginia Tech research published in PLOS ONE indicates that witnessing trauma causes unique brain changes, differing from those who directly experience trauma.
- Timothy Jarome, principal investigator and associate professor of neurobiology at Virginia Tech, said current treatments combine therapy and medication for both types of PTSD.
Witnessing trauma can profoundly impact the brain,leading to bystander PTSD,and a new Virginia Tech study reveals critical differences in brain changes compared to those who directly experience trauma. The study, published in PLOS ONE, demonstrates distinct protein degradation patterns in brain regions like the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex. These findings suggest that current PTSD treatments might not be optimal for everyone. the research also highlights sex-specific differences in how indirect fear memories are processed. Discover the nuances of these secondary_keyword findings. News Directory 3 keeps you informed on the latest developments in mental health. Scientists are developing more targeted treatments soon. Discover what’s next for PTSD therapies.
Bystander PTSD: Witnessing Trauma Alters Brain,Study Finds
Updated June 5,2025
Witnessing a traumatic event can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in about 10% of all cases. This includes military veterans, first responders, health care workers, and bystanders.
Virginia Tech research published in PLOS ONE indicates that witnessing trauma causes unique brain changes, differing from those who directly experience trauma. the study illuminates molecular differences between directly acquired PTSD and bystander PTSD, potentially changing treatment approaches.
Timothy Jarome, principal investigator and associate professor of neurobiology at Virginia Tech, said current treatments combine therapy and medication for both types of PTSD. However, he suggests that indirect and direct trauma create different biological responses, requiring distinct treatment strategies.
Jarome’s research focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms behind memory-related disorders, including PTSD, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. His interest in bystander PTSD grew after reports of PTSD symptoms in witnesses of the 2021 Miami condominium collapse.
The study examined protein changes caused by fear stimuli in the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and retrosplenial cortex. Researchers found that witnessing trauma triggered distinct protein degradation patterns in all three regions, compared to directly experiencing trauma.
the research also revealed sex-specific differences in how male and female brains process indirect fear memories. Previous research from Jarome’s lab identified K-63 ubiquitin, a protein linked to PTSD development in women.
Shaghayegh Navabpour, lead author and former Virginia Tech Ph.D. student now at Stanford University, said the findings highlight biological differences in how male and female brains respond to witnessing trauma. Navabpour said these differences may explain why women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD, leading to more targeted treatments.
The National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, funded the research with a $420,000 grant.
Navabpour, who earned her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 2023, is now developing a drug at Stanford to treat Alzheimer’s disease. She credits her time in Jarome’s lab for shaping her career and preparing her for her current role.
“Our research suggests that indirect trauma and direct trauma create different biological responses, which could mean they require different treatment strategies that target distinct brain pathways,” Jarome said.
What’s next
Jarome hopes to explore how these molecular pathways could be leveraged to develop more precise PTSD therapies and examine the role of empathy in bystander PTSD.