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Malhotra B, Jones LC, Spooner H, Levy C, Kaimal G, Williamson JB. A conceptual framework for a neurophysiological basis of art therapy for PTSD. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1351757. [PMID: 38711802 PMCID: PMC11073815 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1351757] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heterogeneous condition that affects many civilians and military service members. Lack of engagement, high dropout rate, and variable response to psychotherapy necessitates more compelling and accessible treatment options that are based on sound neuroscientific evidence-informed decision-making. Art therapy incorporates elements proven to be effective in psychotherapy, such as exposure, making it a potentially valuable treatment option. This conceptual paper aims to inform the neurophysiological rationale for the use of art therapy as a therapeutic approach for individuals with PTSD. A narrative synthesis was conducted using literature review of empirical research on the neurophysiological effects of art therapy, with supporting literature on neuroaesthetics and psychotherapies to identify art therapy factors most pertinent for PTSD. Findings were synthesized through a proposed framework based on the triple network model considering the network-based dysfunctions due to PTSD. Art therapy's active components, such as concretization and metaphor, active art engagement, emotion processing and regulation, perspective taking and reframing, and therapeutic alliance, may improve symptoms of PTSD and prompt adaptive brain functioning. Given the scarcity of rigorous studies on art therapy's effectiveness and mechanisms of alleviating PTSD symptoms, the suggested framework offers a neurophysiological rationale and a future research agenda to investigate the impact of art therapy as a therapeutic approach for individuals with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bani Malhotra
- Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Laura C. Jones
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Heather Spooner
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. in support of Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Center of Arts in Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Charles Levy
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. in support of Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Girija Kaimal
- Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - John B. Williamson
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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2
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Raskin SA, DeJoie O, Edwards C, Ouchida C, Moran J, White O, Mordasiewicz M, Anika D, Njoku B. Traumatic brain injury screening and neuropsychological functioning in women who experience intimate partner violence. Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 38:354-376. [PMID: 37222525 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2215489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Objective: The potential for traumatic brain injury (TBI) to occur as the result of intimate partner violence (IPV) has received increased interest in recent years. This study sought to investigate the possible occurrence of TBI in a group of women who survived IPV and to measure the specific profile of cognitive deficits using standardized neuropsychological measures. Method: A comprehensive questionnaire about abuse history; neuropsychological measures of attention, memory and executive functioning; and measures of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder were given to women who were IPV survivors, women who were sexual assault (SA) survivors, and a comparison group of women who did not experience IPV or SA. Results: Overall, rates of potential TBI, as measured by the HELPS brain injury screening tool, were high and consistent with previous studies. Consistent with potential TBI, lower scores were demonstrated on measures of memory and executive functioning compared to survivors of SA or those not exposed to violence. Importantly, significant differences on measures of memory and executive functioning remained, after controlling for measures of emotion. Of note, cognitive changes were highest among women who experienced non-fatal strangulation (NFS) compared to IPV survivors who did not. Conclusions: Rates of TBI may be high in women who survive IPV, especially those who survive strangulation. Better screening measures and appropriate interventions are needed as well as larger studies that look at social factors associated with IPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Raskin
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Chloe Ouchida
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Jocelyn Moran
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Olivia White
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
| | | | - Dorothy Anika
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Blessing Njoku
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA
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3
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Sheynin J, Lokshina Y, Ahrari S, Nickelsen T, Duval ER, Ben-Zion Z, Shalev AY, Hendler T, Liberzon I. Greater Early Posttrauma Activation in the Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus Predicts Recovery From Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:91-100. [PMID: 37451548 PMCID: PMC10787040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with altered emotion processing and modulation in specific brain regions, i.e., the amygdala, insula, and medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. Functional alterations in these regions, recorded shortly after trauma exposure, may predict changes in PTSD symptoms. METHODS Survivors (N = 104) of a traumatic event, predominantly a motor vehicle accident, were included. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess brain activation 1, 6, and 14 months after trauma exposure (T1, T2, and T3, respectively). Participants performed the Shifted-attention Emotional Appraisal Task, which probes 3 affective processes: implicit emotional processing (of emotional faces), emotion modulation by attention shifting (away from these faces), and emotion modulation by appraisal (of the participants' own emotional response to these faces). We defined regions of interest based on task-related activations, extracted beta weights from these regions of interest, and submitted them to a series of analyses to examine relationships between neural activation and PTSD severity over the 3 time points. RESULTS At T1, a regression model containing activations in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and medial prefrontal cortex during emotion modulation by appraisal significantly predicted change in PTSD symptoms. More specifically, greater right IFG activation at T1 was associated with greater reduction in symptom severity (T1-T3). Exploratory analysis also found that activation of the right IFG increased from T1 to T3. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that greater early posttrauma activation during emotion appraisal in the right IFG, a region previously linked to cognitive control in PTSD, predicts recovery from PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jony Sheynin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Yana Lokshina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Samira Ahrari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Tetiana Nickelsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Elizabeth R Duval
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ziv Ben-Zion
- Departments of Comparative Medicine and Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD Clinical Neuroscience Division, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Arieh Y Shalev
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Talma Hendler
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
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Fraile E, Gagnepain P, Eustache F, Groussard M, Platel H. Musical experience prior to traumatic exposure as a resilience factor: a conceptual analysis. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1220489. [PMID: 37599747 PMCID: PMC10436084 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1220489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience mechanisms can be dynamically triggered throughout the lifecourse by resilience factors in order to prevent individuals from developing stress-related pathologies such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some interventional studies have suggested that listening to music and musical practice after experiencing a traumatic event decrease the intensity of PTSD, but surprisingly, no study to our knowledge has explored musical experience as a potential resilience factor before the potential occurrence of a traumatic event. In the present conceptual analysis, we sought to summarize what is known about the concept of resilience and how musical experience could trigger two key mechanisms altered in PTSD: emotion regulation and cognitive control. Our hypothesis is that the stimulation of these two mechanisms by musical experience during the pre-traumatic period could help protect against the symptoms of emotional dysregulation and intrusions present in PTSD. We then developed a new framework to guide future research aimed at isolating and investigating the protective role of musical experience regarding the development of PTSD in response to trauma. The clinical application of this type of research could be to develop pre-trauma training that promotes emotional regulation and cognitive control, aimed at populations at risk of developing PTSD such as healthcare workers, police officers, and military staffs.
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Alday EAP, Poian GD, Levantsevych O, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Alkhalaf M, Haffar A, Kaseer B, Yi-An K, Goldberg J, Smith N, Lampert R, Bremner JD, Clifford GD, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ. Association of Autonomic Activation with traumatic reminder challenges in posttraumatic stress disorder: A co-twin control study. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14167. [PMID: 35959570 PMCID: PMC10157622 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms remain unclear. Autonomic dysfunction, associated with higher CVD risk, may be triggered by acute PTSD symptoms. We hypothesized that a laboratory-based trauma reminder challenge, which induces acute PTSD symptoms, provokes autonomic dysfunction in a cohort of veteran twins. We investigated PTSD-associated real-time physiologic changes with a simulation of traumatic experiences in which the twins listened to audio recordings of a one-minute neutral script followed by a one-minute trauma script. We examined two heart rate variability metrics: deceleration capacity (DC) and logarithmic low frequency (log-LF) power from beat-to-beat intervals extracted from ambulatory electrocardiograms. We assessed longitudinal PTSD status with a structured clinical interview and the severity with the PTSD Symptoms Scale. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine twin dyads and account for cardiovascular and behavioral risk factors. We examined 238 male Veteran twins (age 68 ± 3 years old, 4% black). PTSD status and acute PTSD symptom severity were not associated with DC or log-LF measured during the neutral session, but were significantly associated with lower DC and log-LF during the traumatic script listening session. Long-standing PTSD was associated with a 0.38 (95% confidence interval, -0.83,-0.08) and 0.79 (-1.30,-0.29) standardized unit lower DC and log-LF, respectively, compared to no history of PTSD. Traumatic reminders in patients with PTSD lead to real-time autonomic dysregulation and suggest a potential causal mechanism for increased CVD risk, based on the well-known relationships between autonomic dysfunction and CVD mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick A. Perez Alday
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Giulia Da Poian
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Belal Kaseer
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ko Yi-An
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nicholas Smith
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachel Lampert
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Gari D. Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Guo Y, Wu H, Dong D, Zhou F, Li Z, Zhao L, Long Z. Stress and the brain: Emotional support mediates the association between myelination in the right supramarginal gyrus and perceived chronic stress. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 22:100511. [PMID: 36632310 PMCID: PMC9826980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceived stress, which refers to people's evaluation of a stressful event and their ability to cope with it, has emerged as a stable predictor for physical and mental health outcomes. Increasing evidence has suggested the buffering effect of social support on perceived stress. Although previous studies have investigated the brain structural features (e.g., gray matter volume) associated with perceived stress, less is known about the association between perceived chronic stress and intra-cortical myelin (ICM), which is an important microstructure of brain and is essential for healthy brain functions, and the role of social support in this association. Using a sample of 1076 healthy young adults drawn from the Human Connectome Project, we quantified the ICMby the contrast of T1w and T2w images and examined its association with perceived chronic stress during the last month and social support. Behavioral results showed that perceived chronic stress was negatively associated with both emotional support and instrumental support. Vertex-wise multiple regression analyses revealed that higher level of perceived chronic stress was significantly associated with lower ICM content of a cluster in the right supramarginal gyrus (rSMG). Interestingly, the emotional support, but not the instrumental support, significantly mediated the association of perceived chronic stress with ICM in the rSMG. Overall, the present study provides novel evidence for the cortical myelination of perceived chronic stress in humans and highlights the essential role of the rSMG in perceived chronic stress and emotional support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Guo
- School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China,School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Corresponding author. School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 2, Chongwen Road, Nanan District, China.
| | - Huimin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Debo Dong
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhangyong Li
- School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
| | - Le Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Zhiliang Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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7
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Suo X, Zuo C, Lan H, Li W, Li L, Kemp GJ, Wang S, Gong Q. Multilayer Network Analysis of Dynamic Network Reconfiguration in Adults With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2022; 8:452-461. [PMID: 36152949 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain functional network abnormalities are reported in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have assumed that the functional networks remain static during the scans. How these might change dynamically in PTSD remains unclear. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 71 noncomorbid, treatment-naïve patients with PTSD and 70 demographically matched, trauma-exposed non-PTSD control subjects. Network switching rate was used to characterize dynamic changes of individual resting-state functional networks. Results were analyzed by comparing switching rates between the PTSD and trauma-exposed non-PTSD groups, testing for diagnosis × sex interactions, and examining correlations with PTSD symptom severity. RESULTS At the global level, the PTSD group showed significantly lower network switching rates than the trauma-exposed non-PTSD group. These were observed mainly in the frontoparietal, default mode, and limbic networks at the subnetwork level and in the frontal and temporal regions at the nodal level. These network switching rate alterations were correlated with PTSD symptom severity. There were no significant effects of sex. CONCLUSIONS These disruptions of dynamic functional network stability, reflected by lower network switching rates in the resting state, are a feature of PTSD and suggest that the frontoparietal, default mode, and limbic networks may play a critical role in the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueling Suo
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chao Zuo
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Huan Lan
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lingjiang Li
- Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Graham J Kemp
- Liverpool Magnetic Resonance Imaging Centre and Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Song Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, China.
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8
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Raut SB, Marathe PA, van Eijk L, Eri R, Ravindran M, Benedek DM, Ursano RJ, Canales JJ, Johnson LR. Diverse therapeutic developments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicate common mechanisms of memory modulation. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 239:108195. [PMID: 35489438 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by abnormally persistent and distressing memories, is a chronic debilitating condition in need of new treatment options. Current treatment guidelines recommend psychotherapy as first line management with only two drugs, sertraline and paroxetine, approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of PTSD. These drugs have limited efficacy as they only reduce symptoms related to depression and anxiety without producing permanent remission. PTSD remains a significant public health problem with high morbidity and mortality requiring major advances in therapeutics. Early evidence has emerged for the beneficial effects of psychedelics particularly in combination with psychotherapy for management of PTSD, including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, cannabinoids, ayahuasca and ketamine. MDMA and psilocybin reduce barrier to therapy by increasing trust between therapist and patient, thus allowing for modification of trauma related memories. Furthermore, research into the memory reconsolidation mechanisms has allowed for identification of various pharmacological targets to disrupt abnormally persistent memories. A number of pre-clinical and clinical studies have investigated novel and re-purposed pharmacological agents to disrupt fear memory in PTSD. Novel therapeutic approaches like neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, cannabinoids and neuroactive steroids have also shown potential for PTSD treatment. Here, we focus on the role of fear memory in the pathophysiology of PTSD and propose that many of these new therapeutic strategies produce benefits through the effect on fear memory. Evaluation of recent research findings suggests that while a number of drugs have shown promising results in preclinical studies and pilot clinical trials, the evidence from large scale clinical trials would be needed for these drugs to be incorporated in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanket B Raut
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Padmaja A Marathe
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
| | - Liza van Eijk
- Department of Psychology, College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Rajaraman Eri
- Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Manoj Ravindran
- Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, North-West Private Hospital, Burnie TAS 7320, Australia
| | - David M Benedek
- Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Juan J Canales
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Luke R Johnson
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia; Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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9
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Kritikos M, Huang C, Clouston SAP, Pellecchia AC, Mejia-Santiago S, Carr MA, Hagan T, Kotov R, Gandy S, Sano M, Horton M, Bromet EJ, Lucchini RG, Luft BJ. DTI Connectometry Analysis Reveals White Matter Changes in Cognitively Impaired World Trade Center Responders at Midlife. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 89:1075-1089. [PMID: 35964183 PMCID: PMC9730899 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than 8% of responders who participated in the search and rescue efforts at the World Trade Center (WTC) following 9/11 developed early-onset cognitive impairment (CI). Approximately 23% were also diagnosed with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). OBJECTIVE To shed light on the pathophysiology of these WTC-related conditions, we examined diffusion connectometry to identify altered white matter tracts in WTC responders with CI and/or PTSD compared to unaffected responders. METHODS 99 WTC responders (mean age 56 years) consisting of CI-/PTSD- (n = 27), CI+/PTSD- (n = 25), CI-/PTSD+ (n = 24), and CI+/PTSD+ (n = 23) were matched on age, sex, occupation, race, and education. Cognitive status was determined using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and PTSD status was determined using the DSM-IV SCID. Diffusion tensor imaging was acquired on a 3T Siemens Biograph mMR scanner. Connectometry analysis was used to examine whole-brain tract-level differences in white matter integrity as reflected by fractional anisotropy (FA) values after adjusting for confounders. RESULTS Analyses identified that FA was negatively correlated with CI and PTSD status in the fornix, cingulum, forceps minor of the corpus callosum and the right uncinate fasciculus. Furthermore, FA was negatively correlated with PTSD status, regardless of CI status in the superior thalamic radiation and the cerebellum. CONCLUSION This is the first connectometry study to examine altered white matter tracts in a sample of WTC responders with CI and/or PTSD. Results from this study suggest that WTC responders with early-onset CI may be experiencing an early neurodegenerative process characterized by decreased FA in white matter tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minos Kritikos
- Program in Public Health and Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Chuan Huang
- Department of Radiology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Sean A. P. Clouston
- Program in Public Health and Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Alison C. Pellecchia
- Stony Brook World Trade Center Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Mejia-Santiago
- Stony Brook World Trade Center Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Melissa A. Carr
- Stony Brook World Trade Center Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Hagan
- Department of Radiology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Roman Kotov
- Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Sam Gandy
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx NY, 10468
- Department of Psychiatry and Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Cognitive Health and Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Sano
- Department of Psychiatry and Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Cognitive Health and Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan Horton
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinair, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evelyn J. Bromet
- Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Roberto G. Lucchini
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinair, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Luft
- Stony Brook World Trade Center Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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10
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Kritikos M, Clouston SAP, Huang C, Pellecchia AC, Mejia-Santiago S, Carr MA, Kotov R, Lucchini RG, Gandy SE, Bromet EJ, Luft BJ. Cortical complexity in world trade center responders with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:597. [PMID: 34815383 PMCID: PMC8611009 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01719-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 23% of World Trade Center (WTC) responders are experiencing chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with their exposures at the WTC following the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, which has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for cognitive impairment raising concerns regarding their brain health. Cortical complexity, as measured by analyzing Fractal Dimension (FD) from T1 MRI brain images, has been reported to be reduced in a variety of psychiatric and neurological conditions. In this report, we hypothesized that FD would be also reduced in a case-control sample of 99 WTC responders as a result of WTC-related PTSD. The results of our surface-based morphometry cluster analysis found alterations in vertex clusters of complexity in WTC responders with PTSD, with marked reductions in regions within the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, in addition to whole-brain absolute bilateral and unilateral complexity. Furthermore, region of interest analysis identified that the magnitude of changes in regional FD severity was associated with increased PTSD symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, negative affect) severity. This study confirms prior findings on FD and psychiatric disorders and extends our understanding of FD associations with posttraumatic symptom severity. The complex and traumatic experiences that led to WTC-related PTSD were associated with reductions in cortical complexity. Future work is needed to determine whether reduced cortical complexity arose prior to, or concurrently with, onset of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minos Kritikos
- Program in Public Health and Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Sean A P Clouston
- Program in Public Health and Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Chuan Huang
- Department of Radiology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Alison C Pellecchia
- World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Mejia-Santiago
- World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Melissa A Carr
- World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Roman Kotov
- Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Roberto G Lucchini
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Samuel E Gandy
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evelyn J Bromet
- Department of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin J Luft
- World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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11
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Tong L, Li MD, Nie PY, Chen Y, Chen YL, Ji LL. miR-132 downregulation alleviates behavioral impairment of rats exposed to single prolonged stress, reduces the level of apoptosis in PFC, and upregulates the expression of MeCP2 and BDNF. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100311. [PMID: 33718536 PMCID: PMC7921013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is usually accompanied by anxiety symptoms and decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which played an important role in promoting neuronal proliferation and survival. Methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a positive mediator of BDNF and is regulated by miR-132-3p. In the present study, we explored the possible molecular mechanism of miR-132, focusing on the involvement of MeCP2 and BDNF in the formation of anxiety-like symptoms of PTSD. Single prolonged stress (SPS) was used to establish a model of PTSD in adult rats and the anxiety-like behavior was tested by the elevated plus-maze (EPM). The level of miR-132 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was increased and intraventricular injection of anti-miR-132 could significantly improve the anxiety-like behavior of rats exposed to SPS through MeCP2 and the subsequent upregulation of BDNF levels. Then tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) and downstream signals, including MAP kinase ERK1/2 and phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathways, were activated by BDNF upregulation, and might participate in regulating dendritic complexity and the expression of postsynaptic density-95 (PSD95) and synapsin I in the PFC of SPS rats. Furthermore, we found that the apoptosis of cells in PFC induced by SPS procedure could be alleviated by miR-132 inhibition. Our results suggest that miR-132 might be involved in the formation of anxiety-like symptoms of adult rat PTSD models by targeting MeCP2, and this effect is related to BDNF/TrkB and its downstream ERK and Akt signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Tong
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ming-Da Li
- Department of 1st Clinical Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Peng-Yin Nie
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu-Lu Chen
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Li-Li Ji
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Corresponding author.
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12
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Carlson HN, Weiner JL. The neural, behavioral, and epidemiological underpinnings of comorbid alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 157:69-142. [PMID: 33648676 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and (PTSD) frequently co-occur and individuals suffering from this dual diagnosis often exhibit increased symptom severity and poorer treatment outcomes than those with only one of these diseases. Although there have been significant advances in our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying each of these disorders, the neural underpinnings of the comorbid condition remain poorly understood. This chapter summarizes recent epidemiological findings on comorbid AUD and PTSD, with a focus on vulnerable populations, the temporal relationship between these disorders, and the clinical consequences associated with the dual diagnosis. We then review animal models of the comorbid condition and emerging human and non-human animal research that is beginning to identify maladaptive neural changes common to both disorders, primarily involving functional changes in brain reward and stress networks. We end by proposing a neural framework, based on the emerging field of affective valence encoding, that may better explain the epidemiological and neural findings on AUD and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah N Carlson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jeff L Weiner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.
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