Are neuropsychological deficits after trauma associated with ASD severity?

Dysfunctional information processing in individuals with acute exposure to sexual abuse: An ERP study

Acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur after traumatic event and also cause significant life time impairment. P300 event-related potential (ERP) is a potential biological marker for PTSD and can reflect cognitive impairment in information processing and attention. Despite the usefulness of ERP, there are few attempts to reveal relationships between ASD and P300. In the present study, we aimed to determine if the P300 of the patients who were the victims of sexual abuse reflected the quantitative trait of ASD or if P300 is applicable as a state marker for predicting the risk of PTSD.Fifteen female victims of sexual abuse diagnosed with ASD and 18 healthy controls (HCs) without trauma exposure participated in this study. We investigated the P300 ERPs in patients with ASD to compare them with those of HCs. ERPs were acquired from female adults during an auditory oddball task. Between-group differences in amplitudes or latencies of P300 were investigated using repeated-measures analysis of variance.The ASD groups showed reduced P300 amplitudes at the midline centroparietal site as well as reduced accuracy rates during an auditory oddball task compared with the HCs.These results indicate that ASD have abnormalities in the P300 compared to those in HCs. Moreover, the reduction in P300 could be considered a candidate neurophysiological marker for ASD.

The Evaluation Acute Traumatic Stress Level in Close Relatives of Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability. Both stroke patients and their family can therefore experience increased traumatic stress level.

METHODS

The participants are close relatives of patients (n=65) who had a first time stroke (CRPWS) hospitalized. A control group (CG) (n=61), who had no history of chronic illness in their family and had at least one traumatic life event experience. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Modified Rankin Scale, Personal Information Form, Life Events Checklist, Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, were used in the study.

RESULTS

We found no significant association between NIHSS and MRS of patients and traumatic stress level of the family member. The traumatic stress level was significantly higher in the CRPWS group than in the CG group. Traumatic stress level was higher in women than men and was not associated with perceived social support in the CRPWS group.

CONCLUSION

The traumatic stress level of the relatives was not associated with the clinical features of the stroke patients. In the early phase, after the diagnosis of stroke, psychological support may be important to prevent CRPWS from PTSD.

Acute stress disorder

Acute stress disorder (ASD) was introduced in DSM-IV to describe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that (a) occur in the initial month after trauma and (b) predict subsequent PTSD. Longitudinal studies have shown that most people who develop PTSD do not initially meet ASD criteria, which led to the decision in DSM-5 to limit the ASD diagnosis to describing acute stress reactions without any predictive function. Controlled trials have shown that trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy is the treatment of choice for ASD, and is superior to pharmacological interventions. Recent longitudinal studies have challenged previous conceptualizations of the course of posttraumatic stress, and highlighted that people follow different trajectories of adaptation that are influenced by events that occur after the acute posttraumatic period.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66met polymorphism and plasma levels in road traffic accident survivors

BACKGROUND

Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and release may play a role in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

DESIGN

This study evaluated road traffic accident (RTA) survivors to determine whether PTSD and trauma-related factors were associated with plasma BDNF levels and BDNF Val66Met carrier status following RTA exposure.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-three RTA survivors (mean age 33.2 years, SD = 10.6 years; 56.9% male) were assessed 10 (SD = 4.9) days after RTA exposure. Acute stress disorder (ASD), as assessed with the Acute Stress Disorder Scale, was present in 50 (42.0%) of the participants. Plasma BDNF levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and BDNF Val66Met genotyping was performed. PTSD, as assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, was present in 10 (10.8%) participants at 6 months follow-up.

RESULTS

Neither BDNF Val66Met genotype nor plasma BDNF was significantly associated with the presence or severity of ASD or PTSD. Plasma BDNF levels were, however, significantly correlated with the lifetime number of trauma exposures.

CONCLUSIONS

In RTA survivors, plasma BDNF levels increased with increasing number of prior trauma exposures. Plasma BDNF may, therefore, be a marker of trauma load.