Transmission of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from father to offspring in families: a narrative review

This narrative review evaluates the intergenerational transmission of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from father to offspring in families. PTSD is the most important mental disorders in persons rescue from war. This impairment causes many problems and stressful conditions. Recently, the definition of PTSD contains not only those affected by the catastrophe but also those who have witnessed it suffering from PTSD. This review focuses on which fathers have a more tendency to transmit mental distress to their offspring. According to accept transmission, we should find out, which factors make intergenerational transmission and what is the mechanism of transmission during generation. Moreover, some clues indicate some offspring are more potentiated to PTSD. Most of the studies aim to find a specific gene for PTSD were failed, but the studies showed the intergenerational effect of the PTSD. Epigenetic mechanisms that contain both genetic and environmental factors provide a wide psychological aspect in the intergenerational effect of the PTSD. The theory of epigenetics assumes that the biological and psychological factors act closely and there has been promising research on the role of epigenetic modification in reducing sustained environmental effects, especially in the early stages of growth. There is a great deal of information indicating that some offspring have a greater potential for the disorder. This review study shows that family members and extramarital systems play an important role in the intergenerational transmission of PTSD.