Pathophysiological mechanism of acute stress disorder and advances in non-invasive neuromodulation applications

VernacularTitle:急性应激障碍发病机制与无创神经调控的应用进展
Author: Ya CHEN ¹ ; Xinyu ZHOU ; Guangtao HU
Author Information

1. 解放军陆军958医院精神心理医学科，重庆　400020
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Stress disordes, traumatic, acute; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Neuromodulation; Transcranial direct current stimulation
From: Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2025;58(12):947-954
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a time-limited stress-related disorder triggered by severe traumatic events. Its core symptoms include intrusive memories, heightened arousal and reactivity, pathological avoidance, dissociation, and abnormalities in cognition and emotion. The pathophysiology of ASD involves multiple factors, including emotional-cognitive dysregulation, neural circuit remodeling, neurotransmitter imbalances, and immune-inflammatory responses. A proportion of patients may further progress to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In recent years, non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), have shown potential in modulating dysregulated neurotransmitter systems and reshaping neural circuits, offering new perspectives for the early treatment of ASD.