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Rojczyk P, Heller C, Seitz-Holland J, Kaufmann E, Sydnor VJ, Berger L, Pankatz L, Rathi Y, Bouix S, Pasternak O, Salat D, Hinds SR, Esopenko C, Fortier CB, Milberg WP, Shenton ME, Koerte IK. Intimate partner violence perpetration among veterans: associations with neuropsychiatric symptoms and limbic microstructure. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1360424. [PMID: 38882690 PMCID: PMC11178105 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1360424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is highly prevalent among veterans. Suggested risk factors of IPV perpetration include combat exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol use, and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). While the underlying brain pathophysiological characteristics associated with IPV perpetration remain largely unknown, previous studies have linked aggression and violence to alterations of the limbic system. Here, we investigate whether IPV perpetration is associated with limbic microstructural abnormalities in military veterans. Further, we test the effect of potential risk factors (i.e., PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, mTBI, and war zone-related stress) on the prevalence of IPV perpetration. Methods Structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data were acquired from 49 male veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom; OEF/OIF) of the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) study. IPV perpetration was assessed using the psychological aggression and physical assault sub-scales of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). Odds ratios were calculated to assess the likelihood of IPV perpetration in veterans with either of the following diagnoses: PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, or mTBI. Fractional anisotropy tissue (FA) measures were calculated for limbic gray matter structures (amygdala-hippocampus complex, cingulate, parahippocampal gyrus, entorhinal cortex). Partial correlations were calculated between IPV perpetration, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and FA. Results Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, or mTBI had higher odds of perpetrating IPV. Greater war zone-related stress, and symptom severity of PTSD, depression, and mTBI were significantly associated with IPV perpetration. CTS2 (psychological aggression), a measure of IPV perpetration, was associated with higher FA in the right amygdala-hippocampus complex (r = 0.400, p = 0.005). Conclusion Veterans with psychiatric disorders and/or mTBI exhibit higher odds of engaging in IPV perpetration. Further, the more severe the symptoms of PTSD, depression, or TBI, and the greater the war zone-related stress, the greater the frequency of IPV perpetration. Moreover, we report a significant association between psychological aggression against an intimate partner and microstructural alterations in the right amygdala-hippocampus complex. These findings suggest the possibility of a structural brain correlate underlying IPV perpetration that requires further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Rojczyk
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Carina Heller
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Seitz-Holland
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elisabeth Kaufmann
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Valerie J Sydnor
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
| | - Luisa Berger
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Lara Pankatz
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Software Engineering and IT, École de technologie supérieure, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David Salat
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sidney R Hinds
- Department of Radiology and Neurology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Carrie Esopenko
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Catherine B Fortier
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - William P Milberg
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Inga K Koerte
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, United States
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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Esopenko C, Jain D, Adhikari SP, Dams-O'Connor K, Ellis M, Haag HL, Hovenden ES, Keleher F, Koerte IK, Lindsey HM, Marshall AD, Mason K, McNally JS, Menefee DS, Merkley TL, Read EN, Rojcyk P, Shultz SR, Sun M, Toccalino D, Valera EM, van Donkelaar P, Wellington C, Wilde EA. Intimate Partner Violence-Related Brain Injury: Unmasking and Addressing the Gaps. J Neurotrauma 2024. [PMID: 38323539 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant, global public health concern. Women, individuals with historically underrepresented identities, and disabilities are at high risk for IPV and tend to experience severe injuries. There has been growing concern about the risk of exposure to IPV-related head trauma, resulting in IPV-related brain injury (IPV-BI), and its health consequences. Past work suggests that a significant proportion of women exposed to IPV experience IPV-BI, likely representing a distinct phenotype compared with BI of other etiologies. An IPV-BI often co-occurs with psychological trauma and mental health complaints, leading to unique issues related to identifying, prognosticating, and managing IPV-BI outcomes. The goal of this review is to identify important gaps in research and clinical practice in IPV-BI and suggest potential solutions to address them. We summarize IPV research in five key priority areas: (1) unique considerations for IPV-BI study design; (2) understanding non-fatal strangulation as a form of BI; (3) identifying objective biomarkers of IPV-BI; (4) consideration of the chronicity, cumulative and late effects of IPV-BI; and (5) BI as a risk factor for IPV engagement. Our review concludes with a call to action to help investigators develop ecologically valid research studies addressing the identified clinical-research knowledge gaps and strategies to improve care in individuals exposed to IPV-BI. By reducing the current gaps and answering these calls to action, we will approach IPV-BI in a trauma-informed manner, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for those impacted by IPV-BI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Esopenko
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Divya Jain
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shambhu Prasad Adhikari
- School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kristen Dams-O'Connor
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael Ellis
- Department of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, University of Manitoba, Pan Am Clinic, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Halina Lin Haag
- Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
- Acquired Brain Injury Research Lab, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elizabeth S Hovenden
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Finian Keleher
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Inga K Koerte
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hannah M Lindsey
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Amy D Marshall
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Karen Mason
- Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR), Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - J Scott McNally
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Deleene S Menefee
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, The Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Tricia L Merkley
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Emma N Read
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Philine Rojcyk
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Health Sciences, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Alfred Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mujun Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Alfred Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Danielle Toccalino
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eve M Valera
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul van Donkelaar
- School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cheryl Wellington
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Elisabeth A Wilde
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- George E. Wahlen ,VA Salt Lake City Heathcare System, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Portnoy GA, Relyea MR, Presseau C, Orazietti SA, Bruce LE, Brandt CA, Martino S. Screening for Intimate Partner Violence Experience and Use in the Veterans Health Administration. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2337685. [PMID: 37831451 PMCID: PMC10576210 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance The practice of screening women for intimate partner violence (IPV) in health care settings has been a critical part of responding to this major public health problem. Yet, IPV prevention would be enhanced with detection efforts that extend beyond screening for IPV experiences to identifying those who use violence in relationships as well. Objective To determine rates of IPV experiences and use (ie, among perpetrators of IPV) and factors associated with disclosures among adult patients seeking mental health services at the Veterans Health Administration. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used electronic medical record data drawn from a quality improvement initiative at 5 Veterans Health Administration medical centers conducted between November 2021 and February 2022 to examine IPV disclosures following concurrent screening for IPV experience and use. Participants included patients engaged in mental health services. Data were analyzed in April and May 2023. Exposure Mental health clinicians were trained to screen for IPV experience and use concurrently and instructed to screen all patients encountered through routine mental health care visits during a 3-month period. Main Outcomes and Measures Outcomes of interest were past-year prevalence of IPV use and experience, sociodemographic characteristics, and clinical diagnoses among screened patients. Results A total of 200 patients were offered IPV screening. Of 155 participants (mean [SD] age, 52.45 [15.65] years; 124 [80.0%] men) with completed screenings, 74 (47.7%) denied past-year IPV experience and use, 76 (49.0%) endorsed past-year IPV experience, and 72 (46.4%) endorsed past-year IPV use, including 67 participants (43.2%) who reported IPV experience and use concurrently; only 9 participants (5.8%) endorsed unidirectional IPV experiences and 5 participants (3.2%) endorsed unidirectional IPV use. Patients who reported past-year IPV experience and use were younger than those who denied IPV (experience: mean difference, -7.34 [95% CI, 2.51-12.17] years; use: mean difference, -7.20 [95% CI, 2.40-12.00] years). Patients with a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis were more likely to report IPV use (43 patients [59.7%]) than those without a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis (29 patients [40.3%]; odds ratio, 2.14; [95% CI, 1.12-4.06]). No other demographic characteristics or clinical diagnoses were associated with IPV use or experience. Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study of IPV rates and associated factors, screening for IPV found high rates of both IPV experience and use among patients receiving mental health care. These findings highlight the benefit of screening for IPV experience and use concurrently across gender and age. Additionally, the associations found between PTSD and IPV use underscore the importance of strengthening and developing additional targeted treatment for IPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina A. Portnoy
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Mark R. Relyea
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Candice Presseau
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - LeAnn E. Bruce
- Veterans Healthcare Administration Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program, Washington, District of Columbia
- Western Kentucky University School of Social Work, Bowling Green
| | - Cynthia A. Brandt
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Steve Martino
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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