The Effect of Life Stress and Trauma on Health

Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine

"The overarching aim of the study is to understand how genes modify the health following exposure to life stressors or trauma, or why some but not all individuals exposed to such adversities suffer severe deterioration of their health. The questions we have put forth and the resources we have to answer them are worldwide unique. We hope that the findings of our studies will ultimately be translated into knowledge for health professionals in how to identify and help vulnerable individuals who are at an increased risk of health problems following trauma." 

That is what Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir, Professor of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medicine, says, but she is part of a team of highly prolific scientists at the University of Iceland. The research, which Unnur Anna and her colleagues at the University and from other esteemed institutions are conducting, has recently raised enormous attention. The results of these studies show, for example, that men and women who had recently been diagnosed with cancer are at a significantly increased risk of psychiatric disorders, suicide, and sudden death due to cardiovascular diseases. The new study is to some degree a continuation of her previous work. 

"Our team has been studying the effects of common life stressors and trauma on health for a long time, that is to say the occurrence of various psychological symptoms, mental disorders as well as physical illnesses. What we find particularly interesting is that some trauma victims are highly susceptible to health problems following traumatic experiences while others seem to be more resistant to such adverse outcomes after similar types of trauma." 

Unnur Anna says this is the first study worldwide with resources that make it possible to answer these important research questions. "Thanks to the availability of detailed genetic data and medical records for an entire nation, Icelanders are once again at the forefront of creating knowledge in this field." 

"Our research team makes use of the unique information contained in the genetic database deCODE genetics, the genealogical database Íslendingabók, and Icelandic medical records. We can use this data to study genetic variations with regard to major disease incidence and mortality of Icelanders following common types of life stressors and trauma. We will utilize data on loss of significant others as well as on individuals diagnosed with serious, life-threatening illnesses such as cancer. We also intend to use extensive, long-term studies to detect genetic variation related to symptoms of PTSD following traumata such as sexual violence and natural disasters." 

Unnur Anna says her hope is that the study leads to a better understanding of biological variability when it comes to health consequences associated with serious trauma.