Turkana Research Assistant Amuria Lotiira Holds A Saliva Collection Tube and explains the protocol to potential participants in an asu study. In 2015, a team tested levels of cortisol and testosterone from saliva samples from Turkana Pastoralist Warriors in Kenya. A Turkana-Area Chief Sits to the Left of Lotiira. Credit: Matthew Zefferman
According to the World Health Organization, About 3.9% of the world’s population Has Had Post-traumatic stress disorder at some point during their lives. That number is higher in the united states, at about 6%,
PTSD can happy to an individual after experience or witnessing a traumatic event and can last for months or years. But there is a lot that is still not understand about this mental health condition.
Anthropologists, Social Scientists and Veterans from Arizona State University and the Naval Postgraduate School are the first to analyze the relationships Non-Industrialized Society.
This new study shds more light on the ptsd puzzle. “Little evidence that posttraumatic stress is associated with diurnal hormone dysregulation in turkana pastoralists,” WAS Published in the journey Evolution, Medicine, & Public Health,
Homing in on Hormones
Previous Studies about PTSD and Hormones have focused only on people living in western or european industry. They include people who sured from different types of trauma like cars, assault and multiple deployments, according to ben trumble, a resarch scientist at the insertion of human Associate Professor at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change.
The Studies showed the majority of people diagnosed with ptsd had very little change in their cortisol levels throughout the day. INTEAD, The Results Showed “Blunted” Levels of Cortisol and Not the Normal Rise and Fall Patterns.
“In healthy men, hormones like testosterone and cortisol follow a pattern throughout the day,” Trumble said. “Hormone levels are the highest just after waking up, and then decline rapidly.
The big question trumble and colleagues are wanted to answer was, would they see this friend pattern in a non-industrialized population with people who suborder from the same from the same trapes of trauma?
“Our study is the first to examine associations between hormones (Cortisol and Testosterone) Among the Turkana,” Trumble Said. “Turkana Pastoralists Experience a High Degree of Combat Exposure, and 28% of men have symptoms of ptsd. Differences in hormones for that with ptsd and thats without ptsd. So, in this case we can compare apples to apples and not apples to oranges. “
What the asu scientists found was surprising.
“We did not find any differentce in cortisol for turkana warriors with a provisional ptsd diagnosis versus that without ptsd,” said michael baumgarten, an institute of humans or humans or humans or humans-in Graduate Student and Army Ranger Veteran. “Both Groups of Warriors Had Nearly Identical Cortisol Patterns. Interestingly, Turkana men with ptsd had lower testosterone when they they they woke up compared to that with ptsd.”
“A more applied takeaay is to look at the results of this study and eite retain or increase the level of skepticism one has of narrants that claim to have a Crystal-Clear Picture of How Humanology Physiology Responds Stresses of Combat – Spectally if they are trying to sell you something, “He said.
Why the turkana?
Being a livestock farmer, or pastoralist, in Kenya Near South Sudan Can Be Danger and Deadly.
The Turkana are mobile pastoralists and engage in cattle raiding, said matthew zeferman, an assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School and Us Air Force Veteran.
Zefferman Spent Half a year in the field with the turkana during his postdoctoral fellowship at asu.
“The Turkana in our study area, who raid other pastoralists, typically do so across the disprised border with South Sudan,” He said. “They travel by foot, often over 60 mills and engage in small and large raids. Loss of animals.
Turkana Warriors Experience Similar Trauma from Combat Exposure during Cattle Raids. They also share similar cultural backgrounds and are the same gender. This Diffeers from Previous Studies Conducted Where Trauma and Cultural Background are different.
“It is interesting to see how the physiological response to trauma exposure can Differ Based on Cultural Environment,” Said Sarah Mathew, A Research Scientist at the Instittete at the institute of human origins and associates Professor at the school of human evolution and social change. “It sugges that we can’t answer basic questions about human biology by only studying indictialized populations.”
Mathew’s relationship with the turkana since 2007 LED to this project and many others, providing Valuable information about non-industrialized cooperation, Cultural Norms and Warfare.
While the Study Answers Questions About Hormonal Regulation, there is still the question of why are the Turkana Cortisol Levels “Normal” in that Diagnosed with PTSD Compared Wit Western Populations?
The Study Sites Many Possible Reasons Including Physical Activity and Cultural Differences. The scientists say more research is needed.
A Previous Publication by Zeferman and Mathew Stated that Unlike Soldiers of Nation-State Society, “Turkana warriors are stangly endorsed by the whole community, Have Elevated Status, Parform Culturally sanctioned rituals after raids, and are deeply integrated with their corresponding Civilian Community.
“These longstanding cultural traditions of warriorhood may buffer them from some of the negative pHysiological responses to combat trauma.”
Mathew and the others emphasize the importance of sharing their findings with the turkana. The researchers have engaged with the Community Over Several Years, and Discuss Findings from this and Other Ongoing Studies and What these findings mean for future research.
“We can only do this research trust of the support and help of the people we do the research with -the Turkana,” Zefferman said. “We Acknowledge that their willingness to work with us is what has allowed us to do this research with potential benefits to our social.
“We go there at the grace of the people we work with.”
More information:
Matthew R Zeferman et al, Little Evidence that PostTraumatic Stress is Associated with Diurnal Hormone Dysregulation in Turkana Pastoralists, Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health (2025). Doi: 10.1093/Emph/eoaf004
Citation: Effects of PTSD on Body Vary By Culture, Study of Turkana Warriors Sugges (2025, February 28) retrieved 1 March 2025 from
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