Studies support the view that the balance of autonomic nervous system shifts to sympathetic direction and that there is a suppression on the parasympathetic system in Posttraumatic Stres Disorder(PTSD).

Basal and post-traumatic-stimulus measurements were made with HRV (Heart Rate Variability) on soldiers diagnosed with PTSD. The data were compared with control group.

The sample of this study consisted of 27 patients diagnosed with PTSB according to the DSM-IV criteria and 23 healthy control. Holter recording device was installed in all subjects for 2 hours. Then a slide show was shown with a total of 120 pieces of traumatic experience photographes about six minutes in duration. And Holter recording was continued for another 2 hours.

After exposing to the photographes, in control group: RMSSD, NN50 Count and pNN50 parameters of HRV increased as an indicator of parasympathetic activation; SDANN and SDNN decreased as an indicator of dominance of parasympathetic system to sympathetic system. But in patient group after exposing to the photographes; SDNN and SDANN increased as an indicator of sympathetic activation and RMSSD and pNN50 decreased as an indicator of dominance of sympathetic system to parasympathetic system.

Patient group results indicate parasympathetic failure. This was thought to be related to insufficiant prefrontal inhibition. HRV is thought to be used for detection of short-and long-term change of the sympathovagal balance. It is evaluated that the severity of autonomic symptoms may have predictive about the development of the disease and may be a guide for treatment.