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Siehl S, Zohair R, Guldner S, Nees F. Gray matter differences in adults and children with posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 113 studies and 11 meta-analyses. J Affect Disord 2023; 333:489-516. [PMID: 37086802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of gray matter alterations of adult- and underage patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in comparison to healthy trauma-exposed (TC) and non-exposed (HC) individuals. METHODS We subdivided our groups into patients with PTSD after trauma exposure in adulthood (aa) or childhood (ac) as well as children with PTSD (cc). We identified 113 studies, including 6.800 participants in our review, which we divided into studies focusing on whole-brain and region-of-interest (ROI) analysis. We performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis on 14 studies in the group of aa-PTSD. RESULTS We and found lower gray matter volume in patients with PTSD (aa) in the medial frontal gyrus (PTSD<HC/TC) and Culmen/posterior cingulate cortex (PTSD<TC). Results from ROI-based studies mainly show alterations for patients with PTSD in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, insula, corpus callosum, and amygdala. LIMITATIONS Due to a limited number of studies reporting whole-brain results, the meta-analyses could only be performed in one subgroup and within this subgroup for a limited number of studies. CONCLUSIONS Our results are in line with psychobiological models of PTSD that associate the identified regions with brain circuits involved in context processing, threat detection and emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Siehl
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Rabia Zohair
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stella Guldner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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2
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Pankey BS, Riedel MC, Cowan I, Bartley JE, Pintos Lobo R, Hill-Bowen LD, Salo T, Musser ED, Sutherland MT, Laird AR. Extended functional connectivity of convergent structural alterations among individuals with PTSD: a neuroimaging meta-analysis. Behav Brain Funct 2022; 18:9. [PMID: 36100907 PMCID: PMC9472396 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-022-00196-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder defined by the onset of intrusive, avoidant, negative cognitive or affective, and/or hyperarousal symptoms after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Previous voxel-based morphometry studies have provided insight into structural brain alterations associated with PTSD with notable heterogeneity across these studies. Furthermore, how structural alterations may be associated with brain function, as measured by task-free and task-based functional connectivity, remains to be elucidated. Methods Using emergent meta-analytic techniques, we sought to first identify a consensus of structural alterations in PTSD using the anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) approach. Next, we generated functional profiles of identified convergent structural regions utilizing resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and meta-analytic co-activation modeling (MACM) methods. Finally, we performed functional decoding to examine mental functions associated with our ALE, rsFC, and MACM brain characterizations. Results We observed convergent structural alterations in a single region located in the medial prefrontal cortex. The resultant rsFC and MACM maps identified functional connectivity across a widespread, whole-brain network that included frontoparietal and limbic regions. Functional decoding revealed overlapping associations with attention, memory, and emotion processes. Conclusions Consensus-based functional connectivity was observed in regions of the default mode, salience, and central executive networks, which play a role in the tripartite model of psychopathology. Taken together, these findings have important implications for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms associated with PTSD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12993-022-00196-2.
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Del Casale A, Ferracuti S, Barbetti AS, Bargagna P, Zega P, Iannuccelli A, Caggese F, Zoppi T, De Luca GP, Parmigiani G, Berardelli I, Pompili M. Grey Matter Volume Reductions of the Left Hippocampus and Amygdala in PTSD: A Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies. Neuropsychobiology 2022; 81:257-264. [PMID: 35158360 DOI: 10.1159/000522003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In recent years, research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) focused on the description of different biological correlates of illness. Morphological changes of different brain regions were involved in PTSD neurophysiopathology, being related to trauma or considered a resilience biomarker. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the grey matter changes reported in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on patients who have developed PTSD compared to exposed subjects who did not show a clinical PTSD onset. METHODS We meta-analysed eight peer-reviewed MRI studies conducted on trauma-exposed patients and reported results corrected for false positives. We then conducted global and intergroup comparisons from neuroimaging data of two cohorts of included subjects. The included studies were conducted on 250 subjects, including 122 patients with PTSD and 128 non-PTSD subjects exposed to trauma. RESULTS Applying a family-wise error correction, PTSD subjects compared to trauma-exposed non-PTSD individuals showed a significant volume reduction of a large left-sided grey matter cluster extended from the parahippocampal gyrus to the uncus, including the amygdala. CONCLUSIONS These volumetric reductions are a major structural correlate of PTSD and can be related to the expression of symptoms. Future studies might consider these and other neural PTSD correlates, which may lead to the development of clinical applications for affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Del Casale
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Ferracuti
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University, Rome, Unit of Risk Management, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Steven Barbetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paride Bargagna
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Zega
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Iannuccelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Caggese
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Teodolinda Zoppi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Pasquale De Luca
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Parmigiani
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Berardelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Unit of Psychiatry, "Sant'Andrea" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
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Daugherty JC, Verdejo-Román J, Pérez-García M, Hidalgo-Ruzzante N. Structural Brain Alterations in Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:NP4684-NP4717. [PMID: 32954938 DOI: 10.1177/0886260520959621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been related to brain alterations in female survivors. Nonetheless, few studies have used an exploratory approach, focusing on brain regions that are traditionally studied in other populations with post-traumatic stress. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), strangulation, and childhood trauma are highly prevalent among this population, and have also been associated with brain alterations and functional deterioration. As such, it is difficult to determine how different brain regions are affected by the complex interplay of these factors in female survivors. The aim of this study is to assess (a) brain alterations in female survivors of IPV as compared to non-victim females and (b) the potential causal mechanisms associated with such alterations. We hypothesized that structural brain differences would be found between female survivors of IPV and non-victims, and that these differences would be related to IPV-related TBI, strangulation, IPV severity, depression, post-traumatic stress, generalized anxiety, and childhood adverse experiences. A total of 27 non-victims and 28 survivors completed structural magnetic resonance imaging and questionnaires to measure the potential causal mechanisms for brain alterations. Structural brain differences were found between groups, principally in volumetric analyses. The brain regions in which between-group differences were found were related to attempted strangulation, IPV-related TBI, severity of IPV, adverse childhood experiences, and post-traumatic stress. These results demonstrate that a wider range of brain regions may be impacted by IPV and that various factors are implicated in the structural brain alterations found in female survivors. This study demonstrates the importance of post-traumatic stress, childhood and adult trauma, and physical violence in assessing brain alterations in IPV survivors. Further, it serves as a critical first step in assessing an extensive list of potential causal mechanisms for structural brain alterations, using a more comprehensive a whole-brain structural analysis of IPV female victims, a largely understudied and vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Verdejo-Román
- University of Granada (CIMCYC-UGR), Granada, Spain
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Centre for Biomedical Technology (CTB), Madrid, Spain
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Wermuth K, Ülsmann D, Borngräber J, Gallinat J, Schulte-Herbrüggen O, Kühn S. Structural signature of trauma: white matter volume in right inferior frontal gyrus is positively associated with use of expressive suppression in recently traumatized individuals. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2021; 12:1837512. [PMID: 33505636 PMCID: PMC7817216 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1837512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Differences in grey and white matter structure have been found between trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD. Yet, it remains unclear which functional processes are underlying these volumetric changes. Avoidance- and suppression-based emotion regulation strategies are candidates of interest since they play an important role in the development and maintenance of PTSD. Method: We used voxel-based morphometry to examine differences in brain structure in 20 recently trauma-exposed individuals and 20 healthy controls in respect of their relation to emotion regulation. Results: We found a significantly larger white matter volume close to the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) in patients compared to healthy controls. White matter volume close to the rIFG was positively correlated with expressive suppression. Conclusion: The region of volumetric white matter difference in our study overlaps with brain regions previously associated with executive functioning and inhibitory control, functions that are known to be impaired in PTSD. Our findings support the idea that impaired executive functions in PTSD might be compensated by suppression-based emotion regulation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Wermuth
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Berlin, Germany.,St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Ülsmann
- Friedrich Von Bodelschwingh-Klinik Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janine Borngräber
- St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Gallinat
- St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olaf Schulte-Herbrüggen
- St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Friedrich Von Bodelschwingh-Klinik Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Berlin, Germany.,University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
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Lou J, Sun Y, Cui Z, Gong L. Common and distinct patterns of gray matter alterations in borderline personality disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: A dual meta-analysis. Neurosci Lett 2020; 741:135376. [PMID: 33221476 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are severe psychiatric disorders and often co-occur, either of the two will seriously threaten to public health. However, we lack ample evidences to understand the potential pathophysiologic mechanisms of gray matter (GM) alterations in the two disorders. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis in both BPD (15 datasets including 442 BPD subjects versus 441 healthy controls) and PTSD (11 datasets including 214 PTSD subjects versus 258 healthy controls) applying anisotropic effect-size-based algorithms (AES-SDM) method. RESULTS Conjunction analysis found relative GM volume reductions in both disorders in the orbitofrontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, contrarily, differences were predominantly observed that GM volume increased in the posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus in BPD subjects, and GM volume decreased in the amygdala-hippocampal fear circuit, fusiform gyrus in PTSD subjects. CONCLUSIONS Group comparisons and conjunction analyses in BPD and PTSD identified same regions of GM volume reductions in the orbitofrontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, which may provide clues for the neurobiological mechanisms and clinical diagnosis underpinning two disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lou
- Dalian Medical University, Neuropsychological Department, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yueji Sun
- Dalian Medical University, Neuropsychological Department, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Zhixi Cui
- Dalian Medical University, Neuropsychological Department, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Lei Gong
- Dalian Medical University, Neuropsychological Department, Liaoning Province, China
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Berman Z, Assaf Y, Tarrasch R, Joel D. Macro- and microstructural gray matter alterations in sexually assaulted women. J Affect Disord 2020; 262:196-204. [PMID: 31662209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies with trauma survivors documented structural alterations in brain regions involved in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) neurocircuitry. Nonetheless, whether such alterations exist in women who were sexually assaulted in adulthood is not clear. We investigated the macro- and microstructure of key regions implicated in PTSD pathophysiology, namely the amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula, in this population. METHODS Thirty-eight sexually assaulted women (PTSD, n = 25; non-PTSD, n = 13) and 24 non-exposed controls (NEC) were studied with T1- and diffusion-weighted MRI. Gray matter volume, mean diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated for each region. Between-group comparisons and correlations with PTSD symptom severity were performed. RESULTS Volumetric analyses revealed lower amygdala and insula volumes in the PTSD compared with the non-PTSD group. In contrast, altered microstructure was observed in both traumatized groups compared with NEC, including higher MD and lower FA in the right amygdala, and higher FA in the ACC bilaterally. Finally, the non-PTSD group had higher FA in the right insula compared with the PTSD group. PTSD symptom severity was correlated with amygdala and insula volumes, as well as with hippocampal FA and MD. LIMITATIONS Sample size may have led to reduced statistical power. CONCLUSIONS Sexual assault and the development of PTSD in women are linked with structural alterations in key regions implicated in PTSD following other trauma types (e.g., combat), though hippocampal and ACC volumes were preserved. Further studies are needed to disentangle the unique contribution of trauma type and of sex/gender to these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Berman
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yaniv Assaf
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ricardo Tarrasch
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daphna Joel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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8
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Jin MJ, Jeon H, Hyun MH, Lee SH. Influence of childhood trauma and brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism on posttraumatic stress symptoms and cortical thickness. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6028. [PMID: 30988377 PMCID: PMC6465240 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Interaction between childhood trauma and genetic factors influences the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examined the interaction effect of childhood trauma and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism on PTSD symptoms and brain cortical thickness. A total of 216 participants (133 healthy volunteers and 83 PTSD patients) were recruited. T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging, BDNF rs6265 genotyping through blood sampling, and clinical assessments including the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and posttraumatic stress disorder Checklist (PCL) were performed. A moderated regression analysis, two-way multivariate analysis of covariance, and correlation analysis were conducted. An interaction between the CTQ and the BDNF polymorphism significantly influenced PTSD symptom severity. In fact, people with rs6265 Val/Val genotype and higher CTQ scores showed higher PCL scores. Additionally, this interaction was significant on both left fusiform and transverse temporal gyri thickness. Furthermore, the thickness of both brain regions was significantly correlated with psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, rumination, and cognitive emotion regulation methods; yet this was mainly observed in people with the Val/Val genotype. The interaction between childhood trauma and BDNF polymorphism significantly influences both PTSD symptoms and cortical thickness and the Val/Val genotype may increase the risk in Korean population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jin Jin
- Clinical Emotion and Cognition Research Laboratory, Inje University, Goyang, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonjin Jeon
- Clinical Emotion and Cognition Research Laboratory, Inje University, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung Ho Hyun
- Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hwan Lee
- Clinical Emotion and Cognition Research Laboratory, Inje University, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Inje University, Ilsan-Paik Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Henigsberg N, Kalember P, Petrović ZK, Šečić A. Neuroimaging research in posttraumatic stress disorder - Focus on amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:37-42. [PMID: 30419321 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging research reflects the complexity of post-traumatic stress disorder and shares some common difficulties of post-traumatic stress disorder research, such as the different classifications of the disorder over time, changes in diagnostic criteria, and extensive comorbidities, as well as precisely delineated and prevailing genetic and environmental determinants in the development of the disorder and its clinical manifestations. Synthesis of neuroimaging findings in an effort to clarify causes, clinical manifestations, and consequences of the disorder is complicated by a variety of applied technical approaches in different brain regions, differences in symptom dimensions in a study population, and typically small sample sizes, with the interplay of all of these consequently bringing about divergent results. Furthermore, combinations of the aforementioned issues serve to weaken any comprehensive meta-analytic approach. In this review, we focus on recent neuroimaging studies and those performed on larger samples, with particular emphasis on research concerning the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, as these are the brain regions postulated by the core research to play a prominent role in the pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, we review the guidelines for future research and list a number of new intersectional and cross-sectional approaches in the area of neuroimaging. We conclude that future neuroimaging research in post-traumatic stress disorder will certainly benefit from a higher integration with genetic research, better profiling of control groups, and a greater involvement of the neuroimaging genetics approach and from larger collaborative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neven Henigsberg
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia; University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Petra Kalember
- Polyclinic Neuron, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zrnka Kovačić Petrović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia; University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Šečić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia; University Hospital Centre, 'Sestre milosrdnice', Zagreb, Croatia.
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Shared gray matter reductions across alcohol use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in the anterior cingulate cortex: A dual meta-analysis. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 10:100132. [PMID: 30627600 PMCID: PMC6302237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The considerable comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) poses a greater public health burden than either condition alone. Although there is a substantial body of evidence linking the direct neurotoxic effect of heavy drinking to gray matter (GM) deficits, as well as a growing body of literature supporting a strong association between PTSD and GM alterations, there is scant research interrogating the direct interaction of the two disorders. In order to generate data-driven, specific hypotheses regarding the overlapping neural substrates of PTSD and AUD, we conducted a meta-analysis of GM volumes in each disorder relative to healthy control subjects. We found shared GM deficits in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) across both disorders relative to healthy control participants. These findings suggest that reduced volumes of the ACC across PTSD and AUD may have implications for the development, expression, or treatment of symptoms linked to these frequently co-existing disorders. Recommendations are made for future work aimed at delineating the specific and shared effects of traumatic stress and alcoholism on neural integrity.
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11
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Weng Y, Qi R, Chen F, Ke J, Xu Q, Zhong Y, Chen L, Li J, Zhang Z, Zhang L, Lu G. The Temporal Propagation of Intrinsic Brain Activity Associate With the Occurrence of PTSD. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:218. [PMID: 29887811 PMCID: PMC5980985 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The abnormal brain activity is a pivotal condition for the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, the dynamic time features of intrinsic brain activities still remain unclearly in PTSD patients. Our study aims to perform the resting-state lag analysis (RS-LA) method to explore potential propagated patterns of intrinsic brain activities in PTSD patients. We recruited 27 drug-naive patients with PTSD, 33 trauma-exposed controls (TEC), and 30 demographically matched healthy controls (HC) in the final data statistics. Both RS-LA and conventional voxel-wise functional connectivity strength (FCS) methods were employed on the same dataset. Then, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted on time latency values of those abnormal brain regions with the clinical assessments. Compared with HC group, the time latency patterns of PTSD patients significantly shifted toward later in posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, middle prefrontal cortex, right angular, and left pre- and post-central cortex. The TEC group tended to have similar time latency in right angular. Additionally, significant time latency in right STG was found in PTSD group relative to TEC group. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the time latency value of mPFC negatively correlated to the PTSD checklist-civilian version scores (PCL_C) in PTSD group (r = -0.578, P < 0.05). Furthermore, group differences map of FCS exhibited parts of overlapping areas with that of RS-LA, however, less specificity in detecting PTSD patients. In conclusion, apparent alterations of time latency were observed in DMN and primary sensorimotor areas of PTSD patients. These findings provide us with new evidence to explain the neural pathophysiology contributing to PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Weng
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rongfeng Qi
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Radiology, People's Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Jun Ke
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lida Chen
- Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianjun Li
- Department of Radiology, People's Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guangming Lu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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12
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O'Doherty DCM, Tickell A, Ryder W, Chan C, Hermens DF, Bennett MR, Lagopoulos J. Frontal and subcortical grey matter reductions in PTSD. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 266:1-9. [PMID: 28549317 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterised by a range of debilitating psychological, physical and cognitive symptoms. PTSD has been associated with grey matter atrophy in limbic and frontal cortical brain regions. However, previous studies have reported heterogeneous findings, with grey matter changes observed beyond limbic/frontal areas. Seventy-five adults were recruited from the community, 25 diagnosed with PTSD along with 25 healthy and 25 trauma exposed age and gender matched controls. Participants underwent clinical assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. The data-analyses method Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM) was used to estimate cortical grey matter volumes. When compared to both healthy and trauma exposed controls, PTSD subjects demonstrated decreased grey matter volumes within subcortical brain regions-including the hippocampus and amygdala-along with reductions in the anterior cingulate cortex, frontal medial cortex, middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, paracingulate gyrus, and precuneus cortex. Significant negative correlations were found between total CAPS lifetime clinical scores/sub-scores and GM volume of both the PTSD and TC groups. GM volumes of the left rACC and right amygdala showed a significant negative correlation within PTSD diagnosed subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C M O'Doherty
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
| | - Ashleigh Tickell
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Will Ryder
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Charles Chan
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Daniel F Hermens
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Maxwell R Bennett
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience - Thompson Institute, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD 4575, Australia
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13
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Akiki TJ, Averill CL, Wrocklage KM, Schweinsburg B, Scott JC, Martini B, Averill LA, Southwick SM, Krystal JH, Abdallah CG. The Association of PTSD Symptom Severity with Localized Hippocampus and Amygdala Abnormalities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 1. [PMID: 28825050 PMCID: PMC5562232 DOI: 10.1177/2470547017724069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background The hippocampus and amygdala have been repeatedly implicated in the
psychopathology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While numerous
structural neuroimaging studies examined these two structures in PTSD, these
analyses have largely been limited to volumetric measures. Recent advances
in vertex-based neuroimaging methods have made it possible to identify
specific locations of subtle morphometric changes within a structure of
interest. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used high-resolution magnetic resonance
imaging to examine the relationship between PTSD symptomatology, as measured
using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the DSM-IV, and structural
shape of the hippocampus and amygdala using vertex-wise shape analyses in a
group of combat-exposed U.S. Veterans (N = 69). Results Following correction for multiple comparisons and controlling for age and
cranial volume, we found that participants with more severe PTSD symptoms
showed an indentation in the anterior half of the right hippocampus and an
indentation in the dorsal region of the right amygdala (corresponding to the
centromedial amygdala). Post hoc analysis using stepwise regression suggest
that among PTSD symptom clusters, arousal symptoms explain most of the
variance in the hippocampal abnormality, whereas reexperiencing symptoms
explain most of the variance in the amygdala abnormality. Conclusion The results provide evidence of localized abnormalities in the anterior
hippocampus and centromedial amygdala in combat-exposed U.S. Veterans
suffering from PTSD symptoms. This novel finding provides a more
fine-grained analysis of structural abnormalities in PTSD and may be
informative for understanding the neurobiology of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teddy J Akiki
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher L Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kristen M Wrocklage
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, Department of Psychology, Wallingford, Connecticut
| | - Brian Schweinsburg
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Brenda Martini
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lynnette A Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Steven M Southwick
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - John H Krystal
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chadi G Abdallah
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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14
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Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by different types of trauma may show divergence in epidemiology, clinical manifestation and treatment outcome. However, it is still unclear whether this divergence has neuroanatomic correlates in PTSD brains. To elucidate the general and trauma-specific cortical morphometric alterations, we performed a meta-analysis of grey matter (GM) changes in PTSD (N = 246) with different traumas and trauma-exposed controls (TECs, N = 347) using anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping and its subgroup analysis. Our results revealed general GM reduction (GMR) foci in the prefrontal-limbic-striatal system of PTSD brains when compared with those of TECs. Notably, the GMR patterns were trauma-specific. For PTSD by single-incident traumas, GMR foci were found in bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, striatum, left hippocampus and amygdala; and for PTSD by prolonged traumas in the left insula, striatum, amygdala and middle temporal gyrus. Moreover, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale scores were found to be negatively associated with the GM changes in bilateral ACC and mPFC. Our study indicates that the GMR patterns of PTSD are associated with specific traumas, suggesting a stratified diagnosis and treatment for PTSD patients.
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15
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Zhang Q, Wu Q, Zhu H, He L, Huang H, Zhang J, Zhang W. Multimodal MRI-Based Classification of Trauma Survivors with and without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:292. [PMID: 27445664 PMCID: PMC4919361 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder. It can be difficult to discern the symptoms of PTSD and obtain an accurate diagnosis. Different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities focus on different aspects, which may provide complementary information for PTSD discrimination. However, none of the published studies assessed the diagnostic potential of multimodal MRI in identifying individuals with and without PTSD. In the current study, we investigated whether the complementary information conveyed by multimodal MRI scans could be combined to improve PTSD classification performance. Structural and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans were conducted on 17 PTSD patients, 20 trauma-exposed controls without PTSD (TEC) and 20 non-traumatized healthy controls (HC). Gray matter volume (GMV), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and regional homogeneity were extracted as classification features, and in order to integrate the information of structural and functional MRI data, the extracted features were combined by a multi-kernel combination strategy. Then a support vector machine (SVM) classifier was trained to distinguish the subjects at individual level. The performance of the classifier was evaluated using the leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) method. In the pairwise comparison of PTSD, TEC, and HC groups, classification accuracies obtained by the proposed approach were 2.70, 2.50, and 2.71% higher than the best single feature way, with the accuracies of 89.19, 90.00, and 67.57% for PTSD vs. HC, TEC vs. HC, and PTSD vs. TEC respectively. The proposed approach could improve PTSD identification at individual level. Additionally, it provides preliminary support to develop the multimodal MRI method as a clinical diagnostic aid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiongmin Zhang
- Department of Medical Information Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Information, Sichuan University Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhu Wu
- Monash Medical Imaging, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Hongru Zhu
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University Chengdu, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Medical Information Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Information, Sichuan University Chengdu, China
| | - Hua Huang
- Department of Medical Information Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Information, Sichuan University Chengdu, China
| | - Junran Zhang
- Department of Medical Information Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Information, Sichuan University Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University Chengdu, China
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16
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Daniels JK, Frewen P, Theberge J, Lanius RA. Structural brain aberrations associated with the dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2016; 133:232-40. [PMID: 26138235 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE One factor potentially contributing to the heterogeneity of previous results on structural grey matter alterations in adult participants suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the varying levels of dissociative symptomatology. The aim of this study was therefore to test whether the recently defined dissociative subtype of PTSD characterized by symptoms of depersonalization and derealization is characterized by specific differences in volumetric brain morphology. METHOD Whole-brain MRI data were acquired for 59 patients with PTSD. Voxel-based morphometry was carried out to test for group differences between patients classified as belonging (n = 15) vs. not belonging (n = 44) to the dissociative subtype of PTSD. The correlation between dissociation (depersonalization/derealization) severity and grey matter volume was computed. RESULTS Patients with PTSD classified as belonging to the dissociative subtype exhibited greater grey matter volume in the right precentral and fusiform gyri as well as less volume in the right inferior temporal gyrus. Greater dissociation severity was associated with greater volume in the right middle frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION The results of this first whole-brain investigation of specific grey matter volume in dissociative subtype PTSD indentified structural aberrations in regions subserving the processing and regulation of emotional arousal. These might constitute characteristic biomarkers for the dissociative subtype PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Daniels
- Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - P Frewen
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - J Theberge
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Joseph's Health Care London, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Departments of Medical Imaging, Medical Biophysics and Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - R A Lanius
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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17
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Sui SG, King ME, Li LS, Chen LY, Zhang Y, Li LJ. Posttraumatic stress disorder among female victims of sexual assault in China: prevalence and psychosocial factors. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2014; 6:405-13. [PMID: 25355380 DOI: 10.1111/appy.12155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sexual assault is one of the most traumatic stressors one may experience in life. Although studies have investigated the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated psychosocial factors on victims of sexual assault internationally, such studies in Mainland China are limited. METHODS Two hundred thirt-three Chinese females (aged 17-38) victims of sexual assault were surveyed in three Guangdong province cities (Guangzhou city, Shenzhen city, and Huizhou city). The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, PTSD Checklist Civilian Version, Social Support Rating Scale, and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire were used. RESULTS The prevalence of PTSD in Chinese female victims of sexual assault was 15.25% (34/223). Six psychosocial factors were found to be significant for PTSD symptomatology, including objective support (β = -1.01, P = 0.001), subjective support (β = -0.59, P < 0.001), support utilization (β = -1.03, P = 0.005), negative coping style (β = 0.58, P < 0.001), positive coping style (β = -0.44, P < 0.001), and neuroticism (β = 0.48, P < 0.001). DISCUSSION These findings suggest that negative coping bias and neuroticism were predisposing risk factors that increase PTSD symptoms, while objective support, subjective support, support utilization, and positive coping style were protective factors for PTSD following sexual assault, and provide prima facie evidence for posttrauma intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Ge Sui
- Department of Psychological Trauma Assistance, SpringCare Stress Intervention Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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18
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Li L, Wu M, Liao Y, Ouyang L, Du M, Lei D, Chen L, Yao L, Huang X, Gong Q. Grey matter reduction associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 43:163-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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19
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Anatomical deficits in adult posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies. Behav Brain Res 2014; 270:307-15. [PMID: 24859173 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Evidence from previous anatomical studies indicate that widespread brain regions are involved in the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of the present study was to quantitatively integrate the literature on structural abnormalities seen on individuals with PTSD. Twenty voxel-based analysis studies were analysed through a comprehensive series of meta-analyses. Compared with healthy controls, PTSD patients showed a significant reduction in grey matter (GM) in the left anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC) at the whole-brain level. Several brain regions, including the left ACC, the left insula and the right parahippocampal gyrus were significantly smaller in individuals with PTSD than in trauma-exposed healthy subjects. Furthermore, the clinician-administered PTSD scale scores were negatively correlated with GM in the left ACC and positively correlated with GM in the left insula. In addition, PTSD patients who experienced accidental or non-accidental trauma had anatomical changes in different brain regions. These results suggest that the smaller ACC and insular cortex within the limbic-prefrontal circuit contribute to the pathogenesis of PTSD. Moreover, the PTSD patients with different types of trauma may have different cerebral deficits.
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20
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Weber M, Killgore WD, Rosso IM, Britton JC, Schwab ZJ, Weiner MR, Naomi MS, Pollack MH, Rauch SL. Voxel-based morphometric gray matter correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder. J Anxiety Disord 2013; 27:413-9. [PMID: 23746489 PMCID: PMC3782384 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2012] [Revised: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with functional abnormalities within a neurocircuitry that includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex. Evidence of structural abnormalities within these regions, and their association with PTSD severity and symptom burden is, however, sparse. The present study evaluated the relation between indices of gray matter volume and PTSD symptom severity using voxel-based morphometry. Fifteen individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD completed the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Greater PTSD severity and avoidance/numbing were correlated with increased gray matter volume of the right amygdala-hippocampal complex. Greater hyper-arousal was associated with reduced gray matter volume in the left superior medial frontal gyrus. Findings are consistent with current neurocircuitry models of PTSD, which posit that the disorder is associated with structural and functional variance within this distributed network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareen Weber
- McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - M. Simon Naomi
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
| | - Mark H. Pollack
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
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21
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Gray matter correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder: a quantitative meta-analysis. Biol Psychiatry 2013; 73:70-4. [PMID: 22840760 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the inception of the diagnosis posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attempts have been undertaken to understand why only a subpopulation of individuals exposed to trauma develops PTSD. Cerebral gray matter reductions have been suggested to be a crucial pathobiological marker of PTSD. However, a quantitative meta-analysis of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry studies is lacking. METHODS Here, we investigated concurrence across voxel-based morphometry studies in PTSD compared with trauma-exposed individuals without PTSD (all together nine studies with 319 subjects) by means of activation likelihood estimation. RESULTS We identified brain regions of consistent gray matter reduction in anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, left temporal pole/middle temporal gyrus, and left hippocampus in PTSD patients compared with individuals exposed to trauma without PTSD. CONCLUSIONS This is the first quantitative whole-brain meta-analysis showing brain structure deficits in traumatized subjects with PTSD compared with trauma-exposed healthy control subjects. The gray matter deficit profile overlaps with brain networks of emotion processing, fear extinction, and emotion regulation known to be affected in PTSD. Although the data cannot clarify if this is a predisposition or a consequence of the disease, the results may facilitate the need to control for structural characteristics in future functional brain studies.
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22
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Zhang L, Li W, Shu N, Zheng H, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, He Z, Hou C, Li Z, Liu J, Wang L, Duan L, Jiang T, Li L. Increased white matter integrity of posterior cingulate gyrus in the evolution of post-traumatic stress disorder. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2012; 24:34-42. [PMID: 25288457 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5215.2011.00580.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Functional imaging studies of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have shown an increased activation of posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG) of the brain. The aim of this study was to explore white matter integrity of PCG in PTSD subjects.Methods: White matter integrity, as determined from fractional anisotropy (FA) value using diffusion tensor imaging, was assessed for PCG in subjects with and without PTSD from a severe mine accident. All subjects were also measured by the PTSD Checklist Civilian Version (PCL-C), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the logical memory subtest and the visual reproduction subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in China. Sixteen PTSD subjects (8 subjects in each group) in the longitudinal study and 13 PTSD subjects as well as 14 non-PTSD controls in the cross-sectional case–control study were respectively recruited.Results: In the longitudinal study, subjects with PTSD showed increased FA values in left PCG during the follow-up scan. In the cross-sectional study, FA values in bilateral PCG in PTSD subjects were higher than controls. Within the PTSD group (n = 13), FA values in the left PCG correlated positively with logical memory and negatively with PCL-C intrusion and STAI-trait (STAI-t) subscores. FA values in right PCG correlated negatively with STAI-t and STAI-state subscores.Conclusion: These findings suggest that alterations of white matter integrity in PCG link to mnemonic and affective processing in PTSD over the long-term follow-up period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weihui Li
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ni Shu
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Automation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huirong Zheng
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital and Institute of the Neuropsychiatry of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhong He
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Cailan Hou
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zexuan Li
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lian Duan
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Automation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lingjiang Li
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
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23
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Course-dependent response of brain functional alterations in men with acute and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder: A follow-up functional magnetic imaging study. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1758-5872.2011.00152.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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24
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Malhi GS. Neuroimagining … literally? Acta Neuropsychiatr 2010; 22:103. [PMID: 26952801 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5215.2010.00470.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gin S Malhi
- 1CADE Clinic, Discipline of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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