Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition characterized by intrusive recollections of the traumatic event, avoidance behaviors, hyper-arousal to event-related cues, cognitive disruption, and mood dysregulation. Accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence implicates dysfunction of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic system in PTSD pathogenesis. This article reviews recent advances in our knowledge of the relationship between dopaminergic dyshomeostasis and PTSD, including the contributions of specific dopaminergic gene variants to disease susceptibility, alterations in VTA dopamine neuron activity, dysregulation of dopaminergic transmission, and potential pharmacological and psychological interventions for PTSD targeting the dopaminergic system. An in-depth understanding of PTSD etiology is crucial for the development of innovative risk assessment, diagnostic, and treatment strategies following traumatic events.

创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 是一种使人衰弱的精神疾病，其特征是对创伤事件的侵入性回忆、回避行为、对事件相关线索的过度唤醒、认知障碍和情绪失调。越来越多的临床前和临床证据表明，PTSD 发病机制中的腹侧被盖区 (VTA) 多巴胺能系统功能障碍。本文回顾了我们对多巴胺能失调与 PTSD 之间关系的了解的最新进展，包括特定多巴胺能基因变异对疾病易感性的贡献、VTA 多巴胺神经元活性的改变、多巴胺能传递的失调以及针对 PTSD 的潜在药理学和心理干预多巴胺能系统。