Over the past decades, much knowledge on neurobiological correlates of trauma and trauma-related disorders has been collected in cross-sectional studies comparing affected individuals to control groups, of which the most consistent conclusions are smaller hippocampal volume, increased amygdala activity to threat, sympathic nervous system hyperactivity and glucocorticoid receptor dysregulation in PTSD patients (for review, see Schmidt et al., 2013), although findings are majorly impacted by whether controls were trauma-exposed or not. The gene discussed is NR3C1; the disease is post-traumatic stress disorder.