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Esteban-Serna C, Loewenberger A, Pick S, Cope SR. Psychological Therapy for Functional Neurological Disorder: Examining Impact on Dissociation, Psychological Distress and General Functioning. J Trauma Dissociation 2024; 25:516-532. [PMID: 38780533 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2024.2356591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Functional neurological disorder (FND) represents a broad group of motor and sensory clinical symptoms which cannot be explained by other neurological diagnoses. Dissociation is considered a key mechanism in their development and maintenance. Despite psychological therapy being the recommended choice of treatment for FND, evidence for its effectiveness is in its infancy. This study explored the dissociative profile of forty-seven patients with FND and evaluated whether individual psychological therapy improved dissociative symptoms, psychological distress and general functioning among twenty-five adults with FND. Patients completed the Multiscale Dissociation Inventory, the EuroQol five-dimensional descriptive system, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Our sample showed high levels of disengagement, depersonalization and memory disturbance at baseline. Treatment was associated with significant improvements in general functioning, and symptoms of dissociation and anxiety. Improvements in dissociative experiences were found to be possibly due to reduction in anxiety. Improvements in depression were the strongest predictor of improvements in general functioning. Limitations and areas for further research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Esteban-Serna
- Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alana Loewenberger
- Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Susannah Pick
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah R Cope
- Neuropsychiatry Service, St. George's Hospital, London, UK
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Boska RL, Bishop TM, Capron DW, Paxton Willing MM, Ashrafioun L. Difficulties with emotion regulation within PTSD clusters and moral injury subtypes. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38421375 DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2024.2322904] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Treatment and research centered on trauma-related mental health issues have largely focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, moral injury is another important mental health concern requiring attention. There is a paucity of research examining how PTSD and moral injury affect emotion regulation. The current investigation examined how PTSD clusters and moral injury subtypes were uniquely associated with difficulties with emotion regulation. Participants consisted of 253 previously deployed military personnel who were recruited online. To be included in the study, participants had to verify that they had served in the U.S. Military, had been deployed as part of their military service, and endorsed elevated levels of symptoms associated with PTSD and/or moral injury. A hierarchical linear regression was conducted to examine the association between PTSD symptom clusters, moral injury subtypes, and difficulties with emotion regulation. Results indicated that alterations in arousal and reactivity was the only PTSD symptom cluster associated with difficulties with emotion regulation. Self-transgressions was the only facet of moral injury significantly associated with difficulties with emotion regulation. This is the first study to examine the association between emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptom clusters, and moral injury in previously deployed U.S. Military.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Boska
- The War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, The VA New Jersey Healthcare System, East Orange, New Jersey
- VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York
| | - Todd M Bishop
- VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Daniel W Capron
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Maegan M Paxton Willing
- Center for Deployment Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lisham Ashrafioun
- VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, New York
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Azevedo M, Martinho R, Oliveira A, Correia-de-Sá P, Moreira-Rodrigues M. Molecular pathways underlying sympathetic autonomic overshooting leading to fear and traumatic memories: looking for alternative therapeutic options for post-traumatic stress disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 16:1332348. [PMID: 38260808 PMCID: PMC10800988 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1332348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The sympathoadrenal medullary system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are both activated upon stressful events. The release of catecholamines, such as dopamine, norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (EPI), from sympathetic autonomic nerves participate in the adaptive responses to acute stress. Most theories suggest that activation of peripheral β-adrenoceptors (β-ARs) mediates catecholamines-induced memory enhancement. These include direct activation of β-ARs in the vagus nerve, as well as indirect responses to catecholamine-induced glucose changes in the brain. Excessive sympathetic activity is deeply associated with memories experienced during strong emotional stressful conditions, with catecholamines playing relevant roles in fear and traumatic memories consolidation. Recent findings suggest that EPI is implicated in fear and traumatic contextual memories associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by increasing hippocampal gene transcription (e.g., Nr4a) downstream to cAMP response-element protein activation (CREB). Herein, we reviewed the literature focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of memories associated with fear and traumatic experiences to pave new avenues for the treatment of stress and anxiety conditions, such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Azevedo
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines (MedInUP), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Martinho
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines (MedInUP), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Oliveira
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines (MedInUP), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Correia-de-Sá
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines (MedInUP), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica Moreira-Rodrigues
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines (MedInUP), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
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Vancappel A, Hingray C, Reveillere C, El-Hage W. Disentangling the Link Between Mindfulness and Dissociation in PTSD: The Mediating Role of Attention and Emotional Acceptance. J Trauma Dissociation 2024; 25:30-44. [PMID: 37401352 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2023.2231907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A number of studies have investigated the relationship between mindfulness and dissociation and suggested that mindfulness-based interventions could be effective in the treatment of dissociative symptoms. A recent study in healthy volunteers found that attention and emotional acceptance mediates this relationship. However, no study has yet been performed among a clinical sample to assess this association. METHOD We recruited 90 patients (76 women) suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). They completed self-report questionnaires to measure PTSD, dissociation, emotion regulation difficulties, childhood trauma, mindfulness abilities and cognitive abilities. RESULTS We found that mindfulness abilities, emotional difficulties, dissociation and attention-concentration were all related to each other. Using a step-by-step approach and bootstrapping techniques, we found a significant indirect effect of mindfulness abilities on dissociation through non-acceptance (confidence interval 95%=-.14 to -.01) and attentional difficulties (confidence interval 95%=-.23 to -.05). CONCLUSION Patients with higher levels of dissociative symptoms have less capacity for mindfulness. Our results support Bishop et al.'s model proposing that attention and emotional acceptance are the two active components of mindfulness. To extend our findings, clinical trials are required to evaluate a causal relationship and the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for patients suffering from dissociation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vancappel
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- Département de Psychologie, UR 1901 QualiPsy, Qualité de vie et santé psychologique, Université de Tours, Tours, France
- Département de médecine, UMR 1253, iBrain. Université de Tours, INSERM, Tours, France
| | - C Hingray
- Pole Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychotherapique de Nancy, Laxou, France
| | - C Reveillere
- Département de médecine, UMR 1253, iBrain. Université de Tours, INSERM, Tours, France
| | - W El-Hage
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- Département de médecine, UMR 1253, iBrain. Université de Tours, INSERM, Tours, France
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Coyne AE, Mattson E, Bagley JM, Klein AB, Shekhtman K, Payat S, Levine DS, Feeny NC, Zoellner LA. Within-patient association between emotion regulation and outcome in prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol 2023:2024-25675-001. [PMID: 37971811 PMCID: PMC11096267 DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Difficulties with emotion regulation (ER) are a risk factor for the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Less is known about temporal relations between ER and PTSD symptom change during treatment, including whether ER may represent a more potent change ingredient for some patients relative to others. This study examined the association between within-patient changes in ER and next-session PTSD symptom change and whether this association was more pronounced for patients with poorer baseline ER, more severe depression, or higher borderline personality disorder symptoms. METHOD Data derived from a randomized controlled trial (NCT01600456) in which 149 adults with PTSD received up to 10 sessions of prolonged exposure (PE) or PE + sertraline. Patients rated difficulties with ER and PTSD symptoms repeatedly during treatment. Moderators were assessed at baseline. RESULTS Cross-lagged, dynamic structural equation models revealed that ER improvements were associated with next-session reductions in PTSD (standardized effect = 0.13). PTSD symptom reduction was also associated with next-session ER improvement (standardized effect = 0.34). Moderator analyses revealed that the within-person ER-PTSD symptoms association was stronger for patients with higher baseline depression (standardized effect = 0.39). CONCLUSIONS Reductions in PTSD symptoms may facilitate ER improvements during PE and PE augmented with sertraline rather than improvements in ER producing changes in PTSD symptoms. For patients with higher severity co-occurring depression, ER may represent a more active change ingredient. PE therapists could therefore consider placing particular emphasis on improving ER capabilities when working with this subgroup of patients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E. Coyne
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Elsa Mattson
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Jenna M. Bagley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | | | - Kathy Shekhtman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Sinan Payat
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | | | - Norah C. Feeny
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
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Vancappel A, Raysseguier C, Révellière C, Penverne T, Fernandes R, El-Hage W. Inhibition, Attentional Control and Binding Abilities in Relation to Dissociative Symptoms Among PTSD Patients. J Trauma Dissociation 2023; 24:609-623. [PMID: 36992662 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2023.2195397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The relationship between dissociation and cognitive abilities remains controversial. Empirical studies have reported positive, negative and non-existent associations between dissociation and cognition. These inconsistent results may be due to the fact that the studies focused mainly on trait dissociation, while dissociation is not stable but transient. After validating the French version of the Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between state dissociation and cognitive abilities. METHOD We recruited 83 patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and assessed them twice. At T1, they performed a neutral Stroop task and a neutral binding task. At T2 (one to three weeks later), after a script-driven dissociative induction, they performed an emotional Stroop task and an emotional binding task. Between the two sessions, they completed questionnaires at home evaluating PTSD severity, trait dissociation and cognitive difficulties. State dissociation was assessed at T1 and T2 using the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS). RESULTS We found good psychometric properties of the French version of the CADSS. After inducing dissociation, significantly lower attentional performance was found among patients with than without dissociative reactions. We found a significant positive correlation between state dissociation and increased attention and memory difficulties after induction. CONCLUSION The French version of the CADSS is a reliable and valid tool to assess state dissociation, which is correlated with attentional difficulties. Attentional training is recommended to help patients control dissociative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vancappel
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- Département de Psychologie, EE 1901 QualiPsy, Qualité de vie et santé psychologique, Tours, France
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
| | - C Raysseguier
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - C Révellière
- Département de Psychologie, EE 1901 QualiPsy, Qualité de vie et santé psychologique, Tours, France
| | - T Penverne
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - R Fernandes
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - W El-Hage
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
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Aguiar S, Carvalho J, Carrito ML, Santos IM. Automatic attention to sexual stimuli: exploring the role of neuroticism and sexual excitation/inhibition through event-related potentials. J Sex Med 2023; 20:367-376. [PMID: 36763959 DOI: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdac048] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous findings have shown that neuroticism is a higher-order vulnerability factor in the development and maintenance of sexual dysfunctions and can have an impact on the attentional processing of sexual stimuli; however, the influence of psychosexual dimensions on the early automatic phases of such cognitive processes has not been established yet. AIM To examine the mediating role of sexual inhibition/excitation propensity in the relationship between neuroticism and automatic attention to visual erotica and to identify the neuroelectric correlates of such a process. METHODS We analyzed the answers provided by 58 individuals on the Neuroticism subscale of the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised and the Sexual Inhibition/Excitation Scales. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during a modified oddball paradigm containing romantic and sexually explicit pictures. Parallel mediations were performed to simultaneously test the mediating role of sexual inhibition/excitation in the relationship between neuroticism and each ERP. OUTCOMES Three early attention ERP components (P1, P2, and N2) were assessed. RESULTS Findings revealed an indirect effect of neuroticism on automatic attention, via sexual inhibition due to threat of performance failure (SIS1), for romantic and sexually explicit stimuli. This effect was significant only for component N2, which showed increased amplitudes and earlier latencies in participants with high SIS1. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Sexual stimuli, due to their emotional valence and arousal potential, might be perceived as virtually threatening by individuals with neuroticism, who may benefit from strategies that decrease hyperarousal and sympathetic activation. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS This was one of the first studies to analyze neuroelectric activity associated with automatic attention toward sexual stimuli in relation to personality and sexual excitation/inhibition propensity. Nevertheless, the limited number of participants demands caution in generalizing the results. CONCLUSION These results provide a better understanding of the relationship between personality and sexual cognition and open new avenues of research in relation to other automatic cognitive phenomena related to human sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Aguiar
- Center for Psychology at the University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Carvalho
- William James Center for Research, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Mariana L Carrito
- Center for Psychology at the University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel M Santos
- William James Center for Research, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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Shaw SB, Nicholson AA, Ros T, Harricharan S, Terpou B, Densmore M, Theberge J, Frewen P, Lanius RA. Increased top-down control of emotions during symptom provocation working memory tasks following a RCT of alpha-down neurofeedback in PTSD. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 37:103313. [PMID: 36669352 PMCID: PMC9868881 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found to be associated with emotion under-modulation from the prefrontal cortex and a breakdown of the top-down control of cognition and emotion. Novel adjunct therapies such as neurofeedback (NFB) have been shown to normalize aberrant neural circuits that underlie PTSD psychopathology at rest. However, little evidence exists for NFB-linked neural improvements under emotionally relevant cognitive load. The current study sought to address this gap by examining the effects of alpha-down NFB in the context of an emotional n-back task. METHODS We conducted a 20-week double-blind randomized, sham-controlled trial of alpha-down NFB and collected neuroimaging data before and after the NFB protocol. Participants performed an emotional 1-back and 2-back working memory task, with interleaved trauma-neutral and trauma-relevant cues in the fMRI scanner. Data from 35 participants with a primary diagnosis of PTSD were analyzed in this study (n = 18 in the experimental group undergoing alpha-down NFB, n = 17 in the sham-control group). RESULTS Firstly, within-group analyses showed clinically significant reductions in PTSD symptom severity scores at the post-intervention timepoint and 3-month follow-up for the experimental group, and not for the sham-control group. The neuroimaging analyses revealed that alpha-down NFB enhanced engagement of top-down cognitive and emotional control centers, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and improved integration of the anterior and posterior parts of the default mode network (DMN). Finally, our results also indicate that increased alpha-down NFB performance correlated with increased activity in brain regions involved in top-down control and bodily consciousness/embodied processing of self (TPJ and posterior insula). CONCLUSION This is the first study to provide mechanistic insights into how NFB may normalize dysfunctional brain activity and connectivity in PTSD under cognitive load with simultaneous symptom provocation, adding to a growing body of evidence supporting the therapeutic neuromodulatory effects of NFB. This preliminary study highlights the benefits of alpha-down NFB training as an adjunctive therapy for PTSD and warrants further investigation into its therapeutic effects on cognitive and emotion control in those with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Bhaskar Shaw
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Vector Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Andrew A Nicholson
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada; Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tomas Ros
- Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sherain Harricharan
- Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Braeden Terpou
- Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Densmore
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean Theberge
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Joseph's Healthcare, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul Frewen
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth A Lanius
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Guelph, Ontario, Canada; St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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Couto Pereira NDS, Klippel Zanona Q, Pastore Bernardi M, Alves J, Dalmaz C, Calcagnotto ME. Aversive memory reactivation: A possible role for delta oscillations in the hippocampus-amygdala circuit. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:48-69. [PMID: 36128957 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Memory labilization, the process by which memories become susceptible to update, is essential for memory reconsolidation and has been a target for novel therapies for traumatic memory-associated disorders. Maternal separation (MS) in male rats produced memories resistant to labilization in adulthood. Based on previous results, we hypothesized that temporal desynchronization between the dorsal hippocampus (DHc) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA), during memory retrieval, could be responsible for this impairment. Our goal was to investigate possible differences in oscillatory activity and synchrony between the DHc and BLA during fear memory reactivation, between MS and non-handled (NH) rats. We used male adult Wistar rats, NH or MS, with electrodes for local field potential (LFP) recordings implanted in the DHc and BLA. Animals were submitted to aversive memory reactivation by exposure to the conditioned context (Reat) or to pseudo-reactivation in a neutral context (pReat), and LFP was recorded. Plasticity markers linked to reconsolidation were evaluated one hour after reactivation. The power of delta oscillations and DHc-BLA synchrony in Reat animals was increased, during freezing. Besides, delta modulation of gamma oscillations amplitude in the BLA was associated with the increase in DHc Zif268 levels, an immediate early gene specifically associated with reconsolidation. Concerning early life stress, we found lower power of delta and strength of delta-gamma oscillations coupling in MS rats, compared to NH, which could explain the low Zif268 levels in a subgroup of MS animals. These results suggest a role for delta oscillations in memory reactivation that should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natividade de Sá Couto Pereira
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory (NNNESP Lab.), Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Querusche Klippel Zanona
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory (NNNESP Lab.), Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Pastore Bernardi
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory (NNNESP Lab.), Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Joelma Alves
- Neurobiology of Stress Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carla Dalmaz
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Neurobiology of Stress Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory (NNNESP Lab.), Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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10
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Jiang W, Tian Y, Fan F, Fu F, Wei D, Tang S, Chen J, Li Y, Zhu R, Wang L, Shi Z, Wang D, Zhang XY. Effects of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder on cognitive dysfunction in Chinese male methamphetamine patients. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 119:110611. [PMID: 35907518 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cognitive dysfunction and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in methamphetamine patients. However, few studies have investigated the cognitive performance of methamphetamine patients with PTSD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of comorbid PTSD on cognitive function in Chinese male methamphetamine patients. METHODS We analyzed 464 methamphetamine patients and 156 healthy volunteers. The PTSD Screening Scale (PCL-5) was used to assess PTSD and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) was used to assess cognitive function. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, methamphetamine patients had more cognitive dysfunction in immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention and delayed memory. Moreover, methamphetamine patients with PTSD had less cognitive dysfunction in immediate memory, attention, and delayed memory than methamphetamine patients without PTSD. Further stepwise regression analysis showed that PTSD alterations in arousal and reactivity cluster were risk predictors for language, and PTSD negative alteration in cognition and mood cluster were risk predictors for delayed memory. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that methamphetamine patients without PTSD have poorer cognitive dysfunction than those with PTSD. Some demographic and PTSD symptom clusters are protective or risk factors for cognitive dysfunction in methamphetamine patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fusheng Fan
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Fabing Fu
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Dejun Wei
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | | | - Jiajing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongrong Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanbiao Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Dongmei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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11
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Raudales AM, Yang M, Forkus SR, Kiefer R, Weiss NH. Daily reciprocal relations between negative and positive emotion dysregulation and posttraumatic stress symptoms among individuals with a history of sexual assault. Psychiatry Res 2022; 315:114724. [PMID: 35853416 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are a debilitating health concern that can develop following sexual assault. One factor central to PTSS is emotion dysregulation. However, little is known about how emotion dysregulation, particularly the dysregulation of positive (versus negative) emotions, relates to the maintenance of PTSS over time. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by using a micro-longitudinal approach to examine daily reciprocal relations between negative and positive emotion dysregulation and PTSS. Participants were 121 individuals with a history of sexual assault (Mage = 35.27; 70.2% women; 81.0% white) recruited from the community. Participants self-reported on negative and positive emotion dysregulation as well as PTSS once daily for seven days. Findings provide support for the effects of both negative and positive emotion dysregulation on increases in next-day PTSS. Results carry important implications for PTSS assessment and intervention efforts among those with a history of sexual assault.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa M Raudales
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Manshu Yang
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Shannon R Forkus
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Reina Kiefer
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Nicole H Weiss
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA.
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12
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Ryan JD, Tse N, Huang C, Yang R, Lee FS. The role of BDNF in mediating the prophylactic effects of (R,S)-ketamine on fear generalization and extinction. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:346. [PMID: 36008382 PMCID: PMC9411535 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02116-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear generalization is a conserved survival mechanism that can become maladaptive in the face of traumatic situations, a feature central to certain anxiety disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms underlying fear generalization remain unclear. Recent studies have shown that prophylactic treatment with (R,S)-ketamine confers protective effects in stress-induced depressive behaviors and enhances contextual fear discrimination, but the extent to which these effects extend to fear generalization after auditory fear conditioning remains unclear. Here, we build on this work by using a behavioral model of fear generalization in mice involving foot shocks with differential intensity levels during auditory fear conditioning. We find that prophylactic (R,S)-ketamine treatment exerts protective effects that results in enhanced fear discrimination in wild type mice. As the growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), has been shown to mediate the rapid antidepressant actions of (R,S)-ketamine, we used a loss-of-function BDNF mouse line (BDNF Val66Met) to determine whether BDNF is involved in (R,S)-ketamine's prophylactic effects on fear generalization. We found that BDNF Val66Met mice were resistant to the protective effects of prophylactic (R,S)-ketamine administration on fear generalization and extinction. We then used fiber photometry to parse out underlying neural activity and found that in the ventral hippocampus there were significant fear generalization-dependent patterns of activity for wild type and BDNF Val66Met mice that were altered by prophylactic (R,S)-ketamine treatment. Overall, these findings indicate a role for the ventral hippocampus and BDNF signaling in modulating the mitigating effects of prophylactic (R,S)-ketamine treatment on generalized fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Ryan
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Nathaniel Tse
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Chienchun Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Ruirong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Francis S Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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13
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Kira IA, Shuwiekh H, Laddis A. The Linear and Non-Linear Association between Trauma, Dissociation, Complex PTSD, and Executive Function Deficits: A Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling Study. JOURNAL OF LOSS & TRAUMA 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2022.2101734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Aref Kira
- Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies, USA
- Center for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Hanaa Shuwiekh
- Department of Psychology, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Andreas Laddis
- Private practice in Psychiatry and Neurology is in Framingham, Framingham, MA, USA
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14
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Rosen JB, Schulkin J. Hyperexcitability: From Normal Fear to Pathological Anxiety and Trauma. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:727054. [PMID: 35993088 PMCID: PMC9387392 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.727054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperexcitability in fear circuits is suggested to be important for development of pathological anxiety and trauma from adaptive mechanisms of fear. Hyperexcitability is proposed to be due to acquired sensitization in fear circuits that progressively becomes more severe over time causing changing symptoms in early and late pathology. We use the metaphor and mechanisms of kindling to examine gains and losses in function of one excitatory and one inhibitory neuropeptide, corticotrophin releasing factor and somatostatin, respectively, to explore this sensitization hypothesis. We suggest amygdala kindling induced hyperexcitability, hyper-inhibition and loss of inhibition provide clues to mechanisms for hyperexcitability and progressive changes in function initiated by stress and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B. Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
- *Correspondence: Jeffrey B. Rosen,
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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15
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Ihme H, Olié E, Courtet P, El-Hage W, Zendjidjian X, Mazzola-Pomietto P, Consoloni JL, Deruelle C, Belzeaux R. Childhood trauma increases vulnerability to attempt suicide in adulthood through avoidant attachment. Compr Psychiatry 2022; 117:152333. [PMID: 35714412 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood trauma and affective disorders are known risk factors for adult suicidal behavior. Studies have shown a mediating effect of insecure attachment on the effect of childhood trauma and suicidal behavior but so far it is not clear whether this effect is related to an attachment dimension (anxiety, avoidance). AIM The present study sought to examine the mediating effect of attachment anxiety and avoidance on suicidal behavior. METHODS We analyzed data on childhood trauma, attachment style, depression severity, presence of prior suicide attempts and current suicide ideation from 96 patients diagnosed with an affective disorder. Two mediation analyses were conducted to assess the effect of childhood trauma on 1) prior suicide attempts and 2) current suicidal ideation through its effect on attachment. RESULTS We found that childhood trauma had a complete mediated effect on the presence of prior suicide attempts through its effect on avoidant attachment (a1b1 = 0.0120, 95%-CI [0.0031, 0.0276]). However, only emotional abuse had a direct influence on suicidal ideation (c' = 0.0273, p < 0.01) without any indirect effect of anxious or avoidant attachment. LIMITATIONS Variables were not assessed in a prospective way and sample size was small. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that individuals with avoidant attachment and childhood trauma are likely to present a high suicide risk. Since avoidant attachment is associated with altered perceptions and eventual rejection of social support, we recommend to screen for attachment early and to engage patients in therapeutical approaches focusing on the client-therapist alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ihme
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - E Olié
- IGF, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France; Departement of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - P Courtet
- IGF, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France; Departement of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - W El-Hage
- CIC 1415, CHRU de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France; UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France; CHRU de Tours, Centre Régional de Psychotraumatologie CVL, Tours, France
| | - X Zendjidjian
- Department of Psychiatry, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, CEReSS-Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Marseille, France
| | - P Mazzola-Pomietto
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - J-L Consoloni
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France; Department of Psychiatry, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - C Deruelle
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - R Belzeaux
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Marseille, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France; Department of Psychiatry, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
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16
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Naudé AR, Machlin L, Furlong S, Sheridan MA. Threat Responsivity Predicts Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Hyperarousal Symptoms in Children after Hurricane Florence. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:690-702. [PMID: 35296986 PMCID: PMC8926419 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00984-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Following a traumatic event, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common. Considerable research has identified a relationship between physiological responses during fear learning and PTSD. Adults with PTSD display atypical physiological responses, such as increased skin conductance responses (SCR) to threatening cues during fear learning (Orr et al., 2000). However, little research has examined these responses in childhood when fear learning first emerges. We hypothesized that greater threat responsivity in early acquisition during fear conditioning before Hurricane Florence would predict PTSD symptoms in a sample of young children following the hurricane. The final sample included 58 children in North Carolina who completed fear learning before Hurricane Florence-a potentially traumatic event. After the hurricane, we assessed severity of hurricane impact and PTSD symptoms. We found that threat responsivity as measured by differential SCR during fear learning before the hurricane predicted PTSD hyperarousal symptoms and that hurricane impact predicted PTSD symptoms following the disaster. This exploratory work suggests that prospective associations between threat responsivity and PTSD symptoms observed in adulthood may be replicated in early childhood. Results are discussed in the context of the current COVID-19 crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison R Naudé
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Laura Machlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Sarah Furlong
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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17
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Exploring strategies to cope with dissociation and its determinants through functional analysis in patients suffering from PTSD: A qualitative study. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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18
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Mathew AS, Lotfi S, Bennett KP, Larsen SE, Dean C, Larson CL, Lee HJ. Association between spatial working memory and Re-experiencing symptoms in PTSD. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2022; 75:101714. [PMID: 34906826 PMCID: PMC9173718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101714] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Few studies have evaluated the link between working memory (WM) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Further, it is unknown whether this relationship is accounted for by other relevant variables including negative affect, emotional dysregulation, or general non-WM-related cognitive control deficits, which are associated with PTSD. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a computerized WM task could predict PTSD symptomology incrementally beyond the contribution of other relevant variables associated with PTSD. METHODS Thirty veterans were eligible to complete emotional symptom questionnaires, a heart-rate variability measure, and computerized tasks (i.e., emotional Stroop and automated complex span tasks). A three-stage hierarchical regression was conducted with the PCL-5 total score and symptom clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, and negative cognition/mood) as the dependent variable. RESULTS Results revealed that only the re-experiencing symptom cluster was significantly predicted by executive, verbal, and visuospatial WM tasks, which explained an additional 29.7% of the variance over and above other relevant variables. Most notably, the visuospatial task was the only WM task that significantly explained PCL-5 re-experiencing symptoms. LIMITATIONS This study was based on a small sample of veterans with PTSD and causality cannot be determined with this cross-sectional study. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the results suggest that deficits in visuospatial WM are significantly associated with PTSD re-experiencing symptoms after controlling for other relevant variables. Further research should evaluate whether an intervention to improve visuospatial WM capacity can be implemented to reduce re-experiencing symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel S Mathew
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA
| | - Salahadin Lotfi
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA; Rogers Behavioral Health, Research Center and Clinical Effectiveness Department, USA
| | | | - Sadie E Larsen
- Milwaukee VA Medical Center, USA; Medical College of Wisconsin, USA
| | - Caron Dean
- Milwaukee VA Medical Center, USA; Medical College of Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Han-Joo Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA.
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19
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Sun S, Sheridan M, Tyrka A, Donofry SD, Erickson K, Loucks E. Addressing the biological embedding of early life adversities (ELA) among adults through mindfulness: Proposed mechanisms and review of converging evidence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104526. [PMID: 34998833 PMCID: PMC8844271 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversities (ELA) are prevalent and have a profound and adverse impact across the lifespan, including on age-related health outcomes, yet interventions to remediate its adverse impact are scarce. This paper presents evidence for mindfulness training to reduce the elevated mental and physical health risks linked to ELA among adults by targeting biological mechanisms of ELA leading to these adverse health outcomes. We first provide a brief overview of ELA, its adverse health impacts, and mechanisms that might be responsible. Next, we review converging evidence that demonstrates that mindfulness training influences key biological pathways involved in ELA-linked negative health consequences, including (a) brain networks involved in self-regulation, (b) immunity and inflammation, (c) telomere biology, and (d) epigenetic modifications. Further, we review preliminary evidence from mindfulness-based trials that focused on populations impacted by ELA. We discuss limitations of this review and provide recommendations for future research. If effective, a mindfulness-based approach could be an important public health strategy for remediating the adverse mental and physical health consequences of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufang Sun
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, United States; Mindfulness Center at Brown University, United States.
| | - Margaret Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Audrey Tyrka
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Alpert Medical School
| | | | - Kirk Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Eric Loucks
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health,Mindfulness Center at Brown University
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20
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Pierce ME, Fortier C, Fonda JR, Milberg W, McGlinchey R. Intimate Partner Violence Predicts Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity Independent of Early Life and Deployment-Related Trauma in Deployed Men and Women Veterans. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:2659-2680. [PMID: 32659158 DOI: 10.1177/0886260520938514] [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] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse perpetrated by a current or former partner. IPV affects both genders, though little is known about its effects on men as victims. The aims of this study were to determine if IPV is a factor contributing to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity independently of deployment-related trauma, and to determine if there are gender differences in these associations. Participants were 46 female and 471 male post-9/11 veterans. Four sequential regressions were employed to examine the independent contribution of IPV among multiple trauma types on PTSD severity in men and women at two epochs, post-deployment (participants were anchored to deployment-related PTSD symptoms) and current (within the past month). Models were significant for both epochs in men (ps < .001) but not in women (ps > .230). In men, IPV independently predicted PTSD severity in both epochs (β > .093). However, in women, early life trauma (β = .284), but not IPV was a significant and independent predictor for current PTSD. Thus, there are distinct gender differences in how trauma type contributes to PTSD symptom severity. Although the statistical models were not significant in women, we observed similar patterns of results as in men and, in some cases, the β was actually higher in women than in men, suggesting a lack of power in our analyses. More research is clearly needed to follow-up these results; however, our findings indicate that IPV is a contributing factor to PTSD severity in veterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E Pierce
- VA Boston Healthcare System, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Fortier
- VA Boston Healthcare System, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Fonda
- VA Boston Healthcare System, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA
| | - William Milberg
- VA Boston Healthcare System, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Regina McGlinchey
- VA Boston Healthcare System, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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21
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St-Jean M, Closson K, Salway T, Card K, Patterson TL, Hogg RS, Lima VD. Sexual minority status modifies the association between HIV risk behavior and prevalent mood or anxiety disorders in British Columbia, Canada. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2022; 57:207-218. [PMID: 34279694 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-021-02141-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed at determining to what extent sexual minority status modifies the association between HIV risk behavior and prevalent mood or anxiety disorder diagnosis in British Columbia (BC), Canada, using a population-based survey. METHODS This analysis was based on the cross-sectional 2013-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey. The sample was restricted to respondents in BC with valid responses to the survey items considered. A multivariable logistic model, where the behavioral HIV risk score exposure was nested into the sexual minority status modifier, estimated the odds of having a prevalent mood or an anxiety disorder. The behavioral HIV risk score (0, 1, 2, ≥ 3) included the following five measures: (1) age at first intercourse < 14 years, (2) condom use during last intercourse, (3) history of sexually transmitted infections, (5) number of sexual partners in the past 12 months (< 4, ≥ 4), and substance use in the past 12 months. RESULTS Of the weighted sample (2,521,252), 97% (95% confidence interval (CI) 97-98) were heterosexual, while 3% (95% CI 2-3) were lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB). The prevalence of a mood or anxiety disorder diagnosis was 12% (95% CI 11-13). For every 1-level increment in the behavioral HIV risk score, the adjusted odds ratio of having a prevalent mood or anxiety disorder diagnosis was 1.29 (95% CI 1.03-1.54) for heterosexual respondents and 2.37 (95% CI 1.84-2.90) for LGB respondents. CONCLUSION Sexual minority status modified the relationship between HIV risk behavior and prevalent mood or anxiety disorders, with a stronger association among LGB respondents. Healthcare providers should prioritize integrated care that addresses the intersectionality between sexual risk, substance use, and mood or anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin St-Jean
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
| | - Kalysha Closson
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Travis Salway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.,Division of Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kiffer Card
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | | | - Robert S Hogg
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Viviane D Lima
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada. .,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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22
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Kim N, Won E, Cho SE, Kang CK, Kang SG. Thalamocortical functional connectivity in patients with insomnia using resting-state fMRI. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E639-E646. [PMID: 34815270 PMCID: PMC8612467 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.210066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insomnia is a common disorder that affects a vast number of patients; the hyperarousal theory of insomnia postulates that patients with insomnia are physiologically activated not only at nighttime but also during the daytime. We aimed to investigate the differences in the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the thalamus with cortical areas between patients with insomnia disorder and healthy controls. METHODS All participants completed clinical questionnaires and underwent portable polysomnography and resting-state fMRI. RESULTS Patients in the insomnia group (n = 50) showed increased RSFC between the thalamus and right medial superior frontal area, bilateral middle temporal areas, left rectus and right parahippocampal areas compared with controls (n = 42) after controlling for age, sex and education level. Among the pairs that showed increased connectivity, several functional connections were negatively correlated with sleep efficiency, measured by polysomnography.Limitations: We used a small sample size. CONCLUSION We consider these results on increased thalamocortical hyperactivity in brain areas related to sensory functions as providing evidence for the hyperarousal theory of insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Seung-Gul Kang
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering Research Center (N. Kim); Department of Psychiatry (S.-G. Kang, S.-E. Cho), Gil Medical Center, College of Medicine; and Department of Radiological Science (C.-K. Kang), College of Health Science, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea (E. Won); Department of Psychiatry, Chaum, Seoul, Republic of Korea (E. Won)
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23
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Tang E, Jones C, Smith-MacDonald L, Brown MRG, Vermetten EHGJM, Brémault-Phillips S. Decreased Emotional Dysregulation Following Multi-Modal Motion-Assisted Memory Desensitization and Reconsolidation Therapy (3MDR): Identifying Possible Driving Factors in Remediation of Treatment-Resistant PTSD. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:12243. [PMID: 34831999 PMCID: PMC8621264 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Multi-modal motion-assisted memory desensitization and reconsolidation therapy (3MDR), an interactive, virtual reality-assisted, exposure-based intervention for PTSD, has shown promising results for treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (TR-PTSD) among military members (MMs) and veterans in randomized controlled trials (RCT). Previous research has suggested that emotional regulation (ER) and emotional dysregulation (ED) may be factors which are correlated with symptom severity and maintenance of TR-PTSD. This embedded mixed-methods pilot study (n = 9) sought to explore the impact of 3MDR on ER and ED of MMs and veterans. Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS-18) data were collected at baseline, prior to each session, and at one week, one month, and three months postintervention and analyzed. Qualitative data collected from sessions, debriefs, and follow-up interviews were transcribed and descriptively analyzed. Results demonstrated statistically significant decreases in DERS-18 scores from preintervention to postintervention at each timepoint. Qualitatively, participants perceived improvements in ER within specified DERS-18 domains. We describe how 3MDR's unique and novel approach addresses ED through cognitive-motor stimulation, narration, divergent thinking, reappraisal of aversive stimuli, dual-task processing, and reconsolidation of traumatic memories. More studies are needed to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which 3MDR addresses ER and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Tang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (E.T.); (L.S.-M.)
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (C.J.); (M.R.G.B.)
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHI), University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Chelsea Jones
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (C.J.); (M.R.G.B.)
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5E 5R8, Canada
- Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Lorraine Smith-MacDonald
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (E.T.); (L.S.-M.)
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (C.J.); (M.R.G.B.)
| | - Matthew R. G. Brown
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (C.J.); (M.R.G.B.)
- Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E8, Canada
| | - Eric H. G. J. M. Vermetten
- Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Center, 1112 XE Diemen, The Netherlands
- Military Mental Health, Dutch Ministry of Defense, 3584 EZ Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Suzette Brémault-Phillips
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (E.T.); (L.S.-M.)
- Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada; (C.J.); (M.R.G.B.)
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHI), University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
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24
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Vancappel A, Guerin L, Réveillère C, El-Hage W. Disentangling the link between mindfulness and dissociation: The mediating role of attention and emotional acceptance. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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25
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Kaldewaij R, Koch SB, Hashemi MM, Zhang W, Klumpers F, Roelofs K. Anterior prefrontal brain activity during emotion control predicts resilience to post-traumatic stress symptoms. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:1055-1064. [PMID: 33603200 PMCID: PMC7611547 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01055-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Regulating social emotional actions is essential for coping with life stressors and is associated with control by the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) over the amygdala. However, it remains unclear to what extent prefrontal emotion regulation capacities contribute to resilience against developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Here, 185 police recruits who experienced their core trauma in the line of duty participated in a prospective longitudinal study. Pre- and post-trauma, they performed a well-established functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approach-avoidance task, mapping impulsive and controlled emotional actions. Higher baseline aPFC, dorsal and medial frontal pole activity was related to lower PTSD symptoms after trauma exposure. aPFC activity predicted symptom development over and above self-reported and behavioural measures. Trauma exposure, but not trauma symptoms, predicted amygdala activation at follow-up. These findings suggest that prefrontal emotion regulation activity predicts increased resilience against developing post-traumatic stress symptoms and may provide fruitful starting points for prediction and intervention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinoud Kaldewaij
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Corresponding author: Reinoud Kaldewaij, Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging; Address: Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, the Netherlands;
| | - Saskia B.J. Koch
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mahur M. Hashemi
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wei Zhang
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Floris Klumpers
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Donders Institute, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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26
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Hien DA, López-Castro T, Fitzpatrick S, Ruglass LM, Fertuck EA, Melara R. A unifying translational framework to advance treatment research for comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:779-794. [PMID: 34062208 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We provide a unifying translational framework that can be used to synthesize extant lines of human laboratory research in four neurofunctional domains that underlie the co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress and substance use disorders (PTSD+SUD). We draw upon the Alcohol and Addiction Research Domain Criteria (AARDOC) to include executive functioning, negative emotionality, reward, and added social cognition from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria into our framework. We review research findings across each of the four domains, emphasizing human experimental studies in PTSD, SUD, and PTSD+SUD for each domain. We also discuss the implications of research findings for treatment development by considering new ways of conceptualizing risk factors and outcomes at the level of the individual patient, which will enhance treatment matching and advance innovations in intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise A Hien
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States.
| | - Teresa López-Castro
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Lesia M Ruglass
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States; Psychology Department, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric A Fertuck
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Robert Melara
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
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27
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Velotti P, Civilla C, Rogier G, Beomonte Zobel S. A Fear of COVID-19 and PTSD Symptoms in Pathological Personality: The Mediating Effect of Dissociation and Emotion Dysregulation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:590021. [PMID: 33833698 PMCID: PMC8021772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.590021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is currently putting a strain on the mental health resilience of the world's population. Specifically, it is likely to elicit an intense response to fear and to act as a risk factor for the onset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some individuals may be more at risk than others, with pathological personality variables being a potential candidate as a central vulnerability factor. In addition, the pathways that lead the pathological personality to PTSD and intense fear responses to COVID-19 are likely to be explained by poor emotion regulation capacities, as well as by dissociative mechanisms. Aims: This study aimed to shed light on vulnerability factors that may account for the onset of PTSD and intense responses of fear in response to COVID-19 outbreak and to test the mediating role of emotion dysregulation and dissociation proneness in these pathways. Methods: We used a longitudinal design of research administered to a sample of community individuals (N = 308; meanage = 35.31, SD = 13.91; 22.7% were male). Moreover, we used self-report questionnaires to measure pathological personality, emotion regulation capacities, dissociative proneness at the beginning of the lockdown, and PTSD symptoms and fear of COVID-19 at the end of the Italian lockdown (from March 9 to May 18, 2020). Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Results: We found that pathological personality levels longitudinally predicted PTSD and fear of COVID-19 levels. Moreover, the associations between emotion dysregulation and dissociation were shown to significantly and totally mediate the relationship between pathological personality and PTSD, whereas no significant mediation effects were observed in relation to fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: Individuals with pathological personality traits may be more vulnerable to the onset of negative psychological consequences related to COVID-19 outbreak, such as PTSD symptomatology and fear levels. Emotion regulation capacities appear to be relevant targets of interventions for PTSD symptomatology. Future research should explore the mediating variables linking pathological personality to intense fear responses to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Velotti
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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28
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Herzog S, Fogle BM, Harpaz-Rotem I, Tsai J, DePierro J, Pietrzak RH. Dissociative symptoms predict risk for the development of PTSD: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). J Psychiatr Res 2020; 131:215-219. [PMID: 32998083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Dissociative symptoms following trauma exposure, such as derealization (i.e., feeling that one's experience is strange and unreal) and depersonalization (i.e., feeling detached from oneself) have been implicated in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the current study, we analyzed data from a 3-year prospective cohort study of a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans to examine whether trait dissociative symptoms, which may impair adaptive emotion regulation following trauma exposure, predict risk for the development of PTSD in trauma-exposed veterans. Results revealed that derealization symptoms predicted a nearly 5-fold increase in relative risk of incident PTSD (relative risk ratio = 4.57, 95% confidence interval = 1.55-13.52), even after adjusting for relevant sociodemographic and trauma-related factors, and severity of PTSD symptoms at baseline. To our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest that trait dissociative symptoms-specifically derealization-may be an important population-based risk factor for the development of PTSD in trauma-exposed U.S. military veterans. These findings add to a body of literature on the prediction of PTSD that largely focuses on stable or immutable risk factors such as sociodemographic and trauma characteristics, or peritraumatic emotional reactions, and underscores the potential clinical utility of assessing, monitoring, and treating derealization symptoms in trauma-exposed U.S. military veterans at risk for PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Herzog
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
| | - Brienna M Fogle
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Ilan Harpaz-Rotem
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Jack Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Jonathan DePierro
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St #901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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29
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Sauer-Zavala S, Southward MW, Semcho SA. Integrating and differentiating personality and psychopathology in cognitive behavioral therapy. J Pers 2020; 90:89-102. [PMID: 33070346 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A large body of literature supports the strong association between personality features and psychopathology. This research has, however, had little influence on day-to-day therapeutic practice, particularly in cognitive behavioral approaches that have traditionally focused on addressing the symptoms of categorically defined diagnoses. Indeed, there are few CBT protocols aimed at altering the personality features. Recently, however, the CBT literature has displayed an increased focus on identifying alternative higher-order, dimensional mechanisms that may underscore the development and maintenance of broad classes of psychopathology (e.g., aversive reactivity to emotions, reward sensitivity, and performance expectancies). There is ample evidence linking these processes to DSM disorder severity; however, they may also represent a functional link between the personality domains and the disorder symptoms organized beneath them. The functional mechanisms through which an individual's personality confers risk for psychopathology may be naturally amenable to cognitive behavioral elements, and targeting these processes in treatment has the potential to address both disorder symptoms and underlying personality vulnerabilities. Thus, the identification of intermediate functional mechanisms may help bridge the gap between personality science and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephen A Semcho
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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30
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Hallock HL, Quillian HM, Maynard KR, Mai Y, Chen HY, Hamersky GR, Shin JH, Maher BJ, Jaffe AE, Martinowich K. Molecularly Defined Hippocampal Inputs Regulate Population Dynamics in the Prelimbic Cortex to Suppress Context Fear Memory Retrieval. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:554-565. [PMID: 32560963 PMCID: PMC7487039 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Context fear memory dysregulation is a hallmark symptom of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. The hippocampus (HC) and prelimbic (PrL) subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex have been linked with context fear memory retrieval in rodents, but the mechanisms by which HC-PrL circuitry regulates this process remain poorly understood. METHODS Spatial and genetic targeting of HC-PrL circuitry was used for RNA sequencing (n = 31), chemogenetic stimulation (n = 44), in vivo calcium imaging (n = 20), ex vivo electrophysiology (n = 8), and molecular regulation of plasticity cascades during fear behavior (context fear retrieval) (n = 16). RESULTS We showed that ventral HC (vHC) neurons with projections to the PrL cortex (vHC-PrL projectors) are a transcriptomically distinct subpopulation compared with adjacent nonprojecting neurons, and we showed complementary enrichment for diverse neuronal processes and central nervous system-related clinical gene sets. We further showed that stimulation of this population of vHC-PrL projectors suppresses context fear memory retrieval and impairs the ability of PrL neurons to dynamically distinguish between distinct phases of fear learning. Using transgenic and circuit-specific molecular targeting approaches, we demonstrated that unique patterns of activity-dependent gene transcription associated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling within vHC-PrL projectors causally regulated activity in excitatory and inhibitory PrL neurons during context fear memory retrieval. CONCLUSIONS Together, our data show that activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor release from molecularly distinct vHC-PrL projection neurons modulates postsynaptic signaling in both inhibitory and excitatory PrL neurons, modifying activity in discrete populations of PrL neurons to suppress freezing during context fear memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yishan Mai
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | - Huei-Ying Chen
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Joo Heon Shin
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | - Brady J. Maher
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Andrew E. Jaffe
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD,Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD,Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD,McKusick-Nathans Institute for Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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31
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Horovitz O, Ardi Z, Ashkenazi SK, Ritov G, Anunu R, Richter-Levin G. Network Neuromodulation of Opioid and GABAergic Receptors Following a Combination of "Juvenile" and "Adult Stress" in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155422. [PMID: 32751453 PMCID: PMC7432657 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is suggested to alter behavioral responses during stressful challenges in adulthood and to exacerbate pathological symptoms that reminisce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These effects are often associated with changes in γ-Aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) and κ opioid receptor expression and neuromodulation of the limbic system. Anxiety-like and stress coping behaviors were assessed in rats exposed to stress in adulthood on the background of previous exposure to stress in juvenility. Two weeks following behavioral assessment in adulthood, GABAAR α1 and α2 subunits and κ opioid receptor expression levels were measured in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), amygdala, and periaqueductal gray (PAG). To illustrate changes at the network level, an integrated expression profile was constructed. We found that exposure to juvenile stress affected rats’ behavior during adult stress. The combination of juvenile and adult stress significantly affected rats’ long term anxious-like behavior. Probabilities predicting model integrating the expression of GABAA α1-α2 and κ opioid receptors in different brain regions yielded highly successful classification rates. This study emphasizes the ability of exposure to stress in juvenility to exacerbate the impact of coping with stress in adulthood. Moreover, the use of integrated receptor expression network profiling was found to effectively characterize the discussed affective styles and their behavioral manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Horovitz
- Psychology Department, Tel-Hai Academic College, Haifa 1220800, Israel;
| | - Ziv Ardi
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Kinneret Academic College on the Sea of Galilee, Sea of Galilee 15132, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-46653803
| | - Shiri Karni Ashkenazi
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel 31095, Israel; (S.K.A.); (G.R.-L.)
| | - Gilad Ritov
- The Institute for the Study of Affective Neuroscience (ISAN), Mount Carmel 31095, Israel; (G.R.); (R.A.)
| | - Rachel Anunu
- The Institute for the Study of Affective Neuroscience (ISAN), Mount Carmel 31095, Israel; (G.R.); (R.A.)
| | - Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel 31095, Israel; (S.K.A.); (G.R.-L.)
- The Institute for the Study of Affective Neuroscience (ISAN), Mount Carmel 31095, Israel; (G.R.); (R.A.)
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel 31095, Israel
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32
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Verger A, Rousseau PF, Malbos E, Chawki MB, Nicolas F, Lançon C, Khalfa S, Guedj E. Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1767986. [PMID: 33029312 PMCID: PMC7473141 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1767986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We recently reported an improvement of precuneus PET metabolism after EMDR therapy in military participants suffering from PTSD. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity in these participants after such treatment. METHOD Fifteen participants with PTSD performed a brain 18F-FDG-PET sensitized by virtual reality exposure to war scenes, before and after EMDR treatment. Inter-regional correlation analysis was performed to study metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity through SPMT maps at whole-brain level (p < 0.005 for the voxel, p < 0.05 for the cluster). RESULTS A decrease of connectivity was observed after EMDR between the precuneus and two significant bilateral clusters of the cerebellum (bilateral Crus I and VI cerebellar lobules, Tmax voxel of 5.8 and 5.3, and cluster size of 343 and 314 voxels, respectively). Moreover, higher cerebellar metabolism before treatment was associated with reduced clinical PTSD scores after EMDR (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The posterior cerebellum and its metabolic connectivity with the precuneus are involved in the clinical efficiency of EMDR in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Verger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & Nancyclotep Imaging Platform, CHRU Nancy, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.,Iadi, Inserm, Umr 1254, Lorraine University, Nancy, France
| | - P F Rousseau
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, Aix-Marseille Université CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - E Malbos
- Department of Psychiatry, La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France.,Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne, Toulon, France
| | - M B Chawki
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & Nancyclotep Imaging Platform, CHRU Nancy, Lorraine University, Nancy, France
| | - F Nicolas
- CNRS, Ecole Centrale de Marseille, UMR 7249, Institut Fresnel, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - C Lançon
- Department of Psychiatry, La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - S Khalfa
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, Aix-Marseille Université CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - E Guedj
- Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne, Toulon, France.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France.,CERIMED, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
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33
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Koch SBJ, van Zuiden M, Nawijn L, Frijling JL, Veltman DJ, Olff M. Effects of intranasal oxytocin on distraction as emotion regulation strategy in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:266-277. [PMID: 30554861 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by difficulty down-regulating emotional responses towards trauma-reminders. The neuropeptide oxytocin may enhance treatment response in PTSD, by dampening excessive fear and improving fear regulation. However, oxytocin effects on (neural correlates of) cognitive emotion regulation abilities have never been investigated in PTSD patients. Therefore, we investigated behavioral and neural effects of intranasal oxytocin administration (40IU) on distraction as emotion regulation strategy in male and female police officers with and without PTSD (n = 76), using a randomized placebo-controlled cross-over fMRI study. The distraction condition consisted of a working memory task while negative affective pictures were presented. Under placebo, male PTSD patients showed decreased right striatal activity during distraction compared to male trauma-exposed controls, which was unaffected by oxytocin. After oxytocin administration, left thalamus activity during distraction was enhanced in all participants, independent of PTSD status or sex. Although left thalamus activity during distraction did not differ between PTSD patients and controls under placebo, it was negatively correlated with error rates within PTSD patients. Furthermore, oxytocin administration increased functional connectivity between the left thalamus and amygdala in PTSD patients and male trauma-exposed controls. Upregulation of thalamus activity during distraction by oxytocin may enhance cognitive emotion regulation abilities during psychotherapy in PTSD, although this should still be investigated in a clinical setting. Our findings open an important research avenue into oxytocin effects on cognitive emotion regulation in PTSD and other psychiatric disorders characterized by deficient emotion regulation abilities. Registered in the Netherlands Trial Registry, registration number: NTR3516.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia B J Koch
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Mirjam van Zuiden
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Nawijn
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center, VU University, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jessie L Frijling
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dick J Veltman
- Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center, VU University, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miranda Olff
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Arq Psychotrauma Expert Center, Diemen, The Netherlands
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Olff M, Amstadter A, Armour C, Birkeland MS, Bui E, Cloitre M, Ehlers A, Ford JD, Greene T, Hansen M, Lanius R, Roberts N, Rosner R, Thoresen S. A decennial review of psychotraumatology: what did we learn and where are we going? Eur J Psychotraumatol 2019; 10:1672948. [PMID: 31897268 PMCID: PMC6924542 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1672948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
On 6 December 2019 we start the 10th year of the European Journal of Psychotraumatogy (EJPT), a full Open Access journal on psychotrauma. This editorial is part of a special issue/collection celebrating the 10 years anniversary of the journal where we will acknowledge some of our most impactful articles of the past decade (also discussed below and marked with * in the reference list). In this editorial the editors present a decennial review of the field addressing a range of topics that are core to both the journal and to psychotraumatology as a discipline. These include neurobiological developments (genomics, neuroimaging and neuroendocrine research), forms of trauma exposure and impact across the lifespan, mass trauma and early interventions, work-related trauma, trauma in refugee populations, and the potential consequences of trauma such as PTSD or Complex PTSD, but also resilience. We address innovations in psychological, medication (enhanced) and technology-assisted treatments, mediators and moderators like social support and finally how new research methods help us to gain insights in symptom structures or to better predict symptom development or treatment success. We aimed to answer three questions 1. Where did we stand in 2010? 2. What did we learn in the past 10 years? 3. What are our knowledge gaps? We conclude with a number of recommendations concerning top priorities for the future direction of the field of psychotraumatology and correspondingly the journal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam
University Medical Centers (location AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam
Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- ARQ National Psychotrauma
Centre, Diemen, The Netherlands
| | - Ananda Amstadter
- Departemnts of Psychiatry, Psychology, &
Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond,
USA
| | - Cherie Armour
- School of Psychology, Queens University
Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Marianne S. Birkeland
- Section for implementation and treatment
research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo
Norway
| | - Eric Bui
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts
General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA,
USA
| | - Marylene Cloitre
- National Center for PTSD Dissemination and
Training Division, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Anke Ehlers
- Department of Experimental Psychology,
University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian D. Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of
Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA
| | - Talya Greene
- Department of Community Mental Health,
University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Maj Hansen
- Department of Psychology,
Odense, Denmark
| | - Ruth Lanius
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Research
Unit, Western University of Canada, London, ON,
Canada
| | - Neil Roberts
- Psychology and Psychological Therapies
Directorate, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, Cardiff,
UK
- Division of Psychological Medicine &
Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff,
UK
| | - Rita Rosner
- Department of Clinical and Biological
Psychology, KU Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett,
Germany
| | - Siri Thoresen
- Section for trauma, catastrophes and forced
migration – children and youth, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress
Studies, Oslo, Norway
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López-Castro T, Saraiya T, Zumberg-Smith K, Dambreville N. Association Between Shame and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. J Trauma Stress 2019; 32:484-495. [PMID: 31291483 PMCID: PMC7500058 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition with affective components that extend beyond fear and anxiety. The emotion of shame has long been considered critical in the relation between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms. Yet, to date, no meta-analytic synthesis of the empirical association between shame and PTSD has been conducted. To address this gap, the current study summarized the magnitude of the association between shame and PTSD symptoms after trauma exposure. A systematic literature search yielded 624 publications, which were screened for inclusion criteria (individuals exposed to a Criterion A trauma, and PTSD and shame assessed using validated measures of each construct). In total, 25 studies employing 3,663 participants met full eligibility criteria. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed a significant moderate association between shame and posttraumatic stress symptoms, r = .49, 95% CI [0.43, 0.55], p < .001. Moderator analyses were not completed due to the absence of between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias analyses revealed minimal bias, determined by small attenuation after the superimposition of weight functions. The results underscore that across a diverse set of populations, shame is characteristic for many individuals with PTSD and that it warrants a central role in understanding the affective structure of PTSD. Highlighting shame as an important clinical target may help improve the efficacy of established treatments. Future research examining shame's interaction with other negative emotions and PTSD symptomology is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa López-Castro
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tanya Saraiya
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA,Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA
| | - Kathryn Zumberg-Smith
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
| | - Naomi Dambreville
- Psychology Department, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York
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Couto-Pereira NDS, Lampert C, Vieira ADS, Lazzaretti C, Kincheski GC, Espejo PJ, Molina VA, Quillfeldt JA, Dalmaz C. Resilience and Vulnerability to Trauma: Early Life Interventions Modulate Aversive Memory Reconsolidation in the Dorsal Hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:134. [PMID: 31191245 PMCID: PMC6546926 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life experiences program lifelong responses to stress. In agreement, resilience and vulnerability to psychopathologies, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have been suggested to depend on the early background. New therapies have targeted memory reconsolidation as a strategy to modify the emotional valence of traumatic memories. Here, we used animal models to study the molecular mechanism through which early experiences may later affect aversive memory reconsolidation. Handling (H)—separation of pups from dams for 10 min—or maternal separation (MS) — 3-h separation—were performed from PDN1–10, using non-handled (NH) litters as controls. Adult males were trained in a contextual fear conditioning (CFC) task; 24 h later, a short reactivation session was conducted in the conditioned or in a novel context, followed by administration of midazolam 3 mg/kg i.p. (mdz), known to disturb reconsolidation, or vehicle; a test session was performed 24 h after. The immunocontent of relevant proteins was studied 15 and 60 min after memory reactivation in the dorsal hippocampus (dHc) and basolateral amygdala complex (BLA). Mdz-treated controls (NH) showed decreased freezing to the conditioned context, consistent with reconsolidation impairment, but H and MS were resistant to labilization. Additionally, MS males showed increased freezing to the novel context, suggesting fear generalization; H rats showed lower freezing than the other groups, in accordance with previous suggestions of reduced emotionality facing adversities. Increased levels of Zif268, GluN2B, β-actin and polyubiquitination found in the BLA of all groups suggest that memory reconsolidation was triggered. In the dHc, only NH showed increased Zif268 levels after memory retrieval; also, a delay in ERK1/2 activation was found in H and MS animals. We showed here that reconsolidation of a contextual fear memory is insensitive to interference by a GABAergic drug in adult male rats exposed to different neonatal experiences; surprisingly, we found no differences in the reconsolidation process in the BLA, but the dHc appears to suffer temporal desynchronization in the engagement of reconsolidation. Our results support a hippocampal-dependent mechanism for reconsolidation resistance in models of early experiences, which aligns with current hypotheses for the etiology of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natividade de Sá Couto-Pereira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carine Lampert
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aline Dos Santos Vieira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Camilla Lazzaretti
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Grasielle Clotildes Kincheski
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Pablo Javier Espejo
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Victor Alejandro Molina
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Jorge Alberto Quillfeldt
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carla Dalmaz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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van Huijstee J, Vermetten E. The Dissociative Subtype of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Research Update on Clinical and Neurobiological Features. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2019; 38:229-248. [PMID: 29063485 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2017_33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Recently, a dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been included in the DSM-5. This review focuses on the clinical and neurobiological features that distinguish the dissociative subtype of PTSD from non-dissociative PTSD. Clinically, the dissociative subtype of PTSD is associated with high PTSD severity, predominance of derealization and depersonalization symptoms, a more significant history of early life trauma, and higher levels of comorbid psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, PTSD patients with dissociative symptoms exhibit different psychophysiological and neural responses to the recall of traumatic memories. While individuals with non-dissociative PTSD exhibit an increased heart rate, decreased activation of prefrontal regions, and increased activation of the amygdala in response to traumatic reminders, individuals with the dissociative subtype of PTSD show an opposite pattern. It has been proposed that dissociation is a regulatory strategy to restrain extreme arousal in PTSD through hyperinhibition of limbic regions. In this research update, promises and pitfalls in current research studies on the dissociative subtype of PTSD are listed. Inclusion of the dissociative subtype of PTSD in the DSM-5 stimulates research on the prevalence, symptomatology, and neurobiology of the dissociative subtype of PTSD and poses a challenge to improve treatment outcome in PTSD patients with dissociative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jytte van Huijstee
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Vermetten
- Department Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center Utrecht, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
- Arq Psychotrauma Research Group, Diemen, 1112 XE, The Netherlands.
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Dobbin A, Ross S. How Memory Structures Influence Distress and Recovery. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:500. [PMID: 31427994 PMCID: PMC6687758 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The treatment of emotional distress has stalled. There has been no improvement in depression outcomes for 30 years, and recent opinions have highlighted the lack of clear validity for the mechanisms involved in current models of complex psychological interventions. Emotional distress is a phenomenon that underpins a swathe of apparently diverse mental health conditions. Childhood trauma has been found to be endemic and common in those with poor psychological adjustment in adults. Executive processes cause a split between knowledge of an event and knowledge of its negative ongoing emotional effects so making integration of the memory of such events and resolution of its effects is a challenge. Recent research into the relationship between well-being and memory structures has converged with research into episodic memories and their key role in goal programming, giving an opportunity to describe a new model with plausible mechanisms for emotional distress, regulation, resilience, and recovery. Humans seek goals that fulfil their universal basic psychological need for self-determination, and the structures of memory networks drive behavioral algorithms that can satisfy or thwart that goal. We propose that a single underlying deficit in memory networks could underpin the psychopathology of emotional distress and that a new formulation of distress and recovery could drive a useful update on the mechanisms of psychological interventions with greater validity and utility for recovery and propose the NEMESIS (Negative MEmorieS Integration Systems) model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Dobbin
- College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sheila Ross
- Foundation for Positive Mental Health, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Flavio A. G. When Buddhas dissociate: A psychological perspective on the origins of great perfection Buddhism ( rDzogs Chen). COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2019.1707055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Geisshuesler Flavio A.
- Departments of Comparative Religion & Asian Studies, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute for the Science of Religion & Central Asian Studies, University of Bern, Switzerland
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40
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Barnicot K, Crawford M. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder: Treatment Outcomes and Mediators. J Trauma Stress 2018; 31:899-908. [PMID: 30398678 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with personality disorder (PD). We evaluated whether comorbid PTSD has a negative effect on patients' ability to benefit from evidence-based psychological treatments for PD and tested potential mediators of any effect. The effect of PTSD on self-harm and borderline PD symptoms was evaluated in 90 patients with borderline PD who were receiving dialectical behavior therapy or mentalization-based therapy. Self-report and interview measures were administered every 3 months over a 12-month period. Three-quarters of participants met criteria for PTSD. In the 12 months after beginning treatment, participants with PTSD did not engage in self-harm more often or present with more severe borderline PD symptoms. However, a higher level of PTSD symptom severity at baseline was associated with more frequent self-harm during follow-up, incidence rate ratio = 1.03, 95% CI [1.01, 1.06], p = .005. Participants whose PTSD did not improve or worsened were more likely to still self-harm, odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, 95 % CI [0.85, 0.97], p = .004, and report more severe borderline PD symptoms, b = 0.53, 95% CI [0.34, 0.73], p < .001, at the end of 12 months. The negative effects of PTSD symptoms remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders and were partially mediated by high ongoing levels of emotional dysregulation, indirect effect b = 0.32, 95% CI [0.19, 0.50]. These findings identify subgroups at risk of poorer outcomes from evidence-based psychological treatments for PD and support the idea that treating PTSD may improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Barnicot
- Centre for Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mike Crawford
- Centre for Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Attachment style: The neurobiological substrate, interaction with genetics and role in neurodevelopmental disorders risk pathways. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:515-527. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Rabellino D, Densmore M, Théberge J, McKinnon MC, Lanius RA. The cerebellum after trauma: Resting-state functional connectivity of the cerebellum in posttraumatic stress disorder and its dissociative subtype. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3354-3374. [PMID: 29667267 PMCID: PMC6866303 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum plays a key role not only in motor function but also in affect and cognition. Although several psychopathological disorders have been associated with overall cerebellar dysfunction, it remains unclear whether different regions of the cerebellum contribute uniquely to psychopathology. Accordingly, we compared seed-based resting-state functional connectivity of the anterior cerebellum (lobule IV-V), of the posterior cerebellum (Crus I), and of the anterior vermis across posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; n = 65), its dissociative subtype (PTSD + DS; n = 37), and non-trauma-exposed healthy controls (HC; n = 47). Here, we observed decreased functional connectivity of the anterior cerebellum and anterior vermis with brain regions involved in somatosensory processing, multisensory integration, and bodily self-consciousness (temporo-parietal junction, postcentral gyrus, and superior parietal lobule) in PTSD + DS as compared to PTSD and HC. Moreover, the PTSD + DS group showed increased functional connectivity of the posterior cerebellum with cortical areas related to emotion regulation (ventromedial prefrontal and orbito-frontal cortex, subgenual anterior cingulum) as compared to PTSD. By contrast, PTSD showed increased functional connectivity of the anterior cerebellum with cortical areas associated with visual processing (fusiform gyrus), interoceptive awareness (posterior insula), memory retrieval, and contextual processing (hippocampus) as compared to HC. Finally, we observed decreased functional connectivity between the posterior cerebellum and prefrontal regions involved in emotion regulation, in PTSD as compared to HC. These findings not only highlight the crucial role of each cerebellar region examined in the psychopathology of PTSD but also reveal unique alterations in functional connectivity distinguishing the dissociative subtype of PTSD versus PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Rabellino
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Imaging DivisionLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Maria Densmore
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Imaging DivisionLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Jean Théberge
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Imaging DivisionLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Margaret C. McKinnon
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's HealthcareHamiltonOntarioCanada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural NeurosciencesMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
- Homewood Research InstituteGuelphOntarioCanada
| | - Ruth A. Lanius
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Imaging DivisionLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
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Melara RD, Ruglass LM, Fertuck EA, Hien DA. Regulation of threat in post-traumatic stress disorder: Associations between inhibitory control and dissociative symptoms. Biol Psychol 2018; 133:89-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Chung MC, Symons C, Gilliam J, Kaminski ER. Posttraumatic stress disorder, emotional suppression and psychiatric co-morbidity in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria: a moderated mediation analysis. J Ment Health 2018; 27:442-449. [PMID: 29431522 DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2018.1437601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence suggesting that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and CIU severity are linked and partially mediated by the high-anxious defense mechanism. What is unclear is whether emotional suppression, as a defense serving the opposite purpose for high-anxious defense, can also act as a mediator and whether this mediational effect is partly influenced by time since trauma and trauma type. AIMS To investigate whether emotional suppression mediated the links between PTSD and CIU symptom severities, and PTSD and psychiatric co-morbid symptom severities. It then examined whether the mediating effect would be moderated by how long ago the trauma occurred and trauma type. METHODS One hundred CIU patients were compared with 60 allergy patients. They completed questionnaires measuring PTSD, psychiatric co-morbidity and emotional suppression. RESULTS Suppressing depression mediated the relationship between PTSD and psychiatric co-morbidity. How long ago the trauma occurred and trauma type moderated the mediational effect of suppressing depression. CONCLUSIONS Following a past trauma, CIU patients may develop PTSD symptoms which influence their psychological well-being through using different levels of emotional suppression, especially suppressing depression. The levels depend on the severity of PTSD symptoms, trauma history and whether they experienced interpersonal traumas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Cheung Chung
- a Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin NT , Hong Kong , and
| | - Christine Symons
- b Department of Clinical Immunology & Allergy , Derriford Hospital , Plymouth , UK
| | - Jane Gilliam
- b Department of Clinical Immunology & Allergy , Derriford Hospital , Plymouth , UK
| | - Edward R Kaminski
- a Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin NT , Hong Kong , and
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Del Río-Casanova L, González A, Páramo M, Van Dijke A, Brenlla J. Emotion regulation strategies in trauma-related disorders: pathways linking neurobiology and clinical manifestations. Rev Neurosci 2018; 27:385-95. [PMID: 26812780 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2015-0045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Emotion regulation impairments with traumatic origins have mainly been studied from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) models by studying cases of adult onset and single-incident trauma exposure. The effects of adverse traumatic experiences, however, go beyond the PTSD. Different authors have proposed that PTSD, borderline personality, dissociative, conversive and somatoform disorders constitute a full spectrum of trauma-related conditions. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the neurobiological findings covering this posttraumatic spectrum is needed in order to develop an all-encompassing model for trauma-related disorders with emotion regulation at its center. The present review has sought to link neurobiology findings concerning cortico-limbic function to the field of emotion regulation. In so doing, trauma-related disorders have been placed in a continuum between under- and over-regulation of affect strategies. Under-regulation of affect was predominant in borderline personality disorder, PTSD with re-experiencing symptoms and positive psychoform and somatoform dissociative symptoms. Over-regulation of affect was more prevalent in somatoform disorders and pathologies characterized by negative psychoform and somatoform symptoms. Throughout this continuum, different combinations between under- and over-regulation of affect strategies were also found.
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Jones AC, Badour CL, Alex Brake C, Hood CO, Feldner MT. Facets of Emotion Regulation and Posttraumatic Stress: An Indirect Effect via Peritraumatic Dissociation. COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH 2018; 42:497-509. [PMID: 32952232 DOI: 10.1007/s10608-018-9899-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Research suggests important associations between emotion regulation difficulties and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology, with prospective studies indicating that emotion regulation difficulties may lead to increased PTSD symptoms. Peritraumatic dissociation is considered an important and consistent predictor of PTSD symptoms. The present study examines whether peritraumatic dissociation accounts for associations between facets of emotion regulation difficulties and PTSD symptoms. Adult women with a history of sexual victimization participated in an interview to assess past-month PTSD symptoms and self-report questionnaires to assess peritraumatic dissociation and emotion regulation difficulties. Results showed a partial indirect effect of three facets of emotion regulation difficulties (i.e., nonacceptance of negative emotional responses, limited access to emotion regulation strategies perceived as effective in the context of distress, and impulse control difficulties when experiencing negative emotions) on PTSD symptoms through peritraumatic dissociation. Reverse indirect effects models were also explored. The present study offers preliminary evidence that peritraumatic dissociation by traumatized individuals may signal the presence of specific emotion regulation deficits, which may indicate increased risk of heightened PTSD severity.
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47
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Marx M, Young SY, Harvey J, Rosenstein D, Seedat S. An Examination of Differences in Psychological Resilience between Social Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Context of Early Childhood Trauma. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2058. [PMID: 29312023 PMCID: PMC5732354 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Much of the research on anxiety disorders has focused on associated risk factors with less attention paid to factors such as resilience that may mitigate risk or offer protection in the face of psychopathology. Objective: This study sought to compare resilience in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) relative to age-, gender- and education- matched individuals with no psychiatric disorder. We further assessed the correlation of resilience scores with childhood trauma severity and type. Method: The sample comprised of 93 participants, 40 with SAD with childhood trauma), 22 with PTSD with childhood trauma, and 31 with no psychiatric disorder (i.e., healthy matched controls). Participants were administered the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire—Short Form (CTQ-SF), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The mean age of participants was 34 years (SD = 11). 52 Participants were female (55.9%) and 54 Caucasian (58.1%). Analysis of variance was used to assess for significant group differences in resilience scores. Non-parametric correlation analyses were conducted for resilience and different types of childhood trauma. Results: There were significant differences in resilience between the SAD and PTSD groups with childhood trauma, and controls. Both disorder groups had significantly lower levels of resilience than healthy controls. No significant correlation was found between total resilience scores and childhood trauma scores in the childhood trauma (SAD and PTSD) groups. However, in the combined dataset (SAD, PTSD, healthy controls), significant negative correlations were found between resilience scores and emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and total childhood trauma scores. Conclusions: Patients who have PTSD and SAD with childhood trauma appear to be significantly less resilient than those with no disorder. Assessing and addressing resilience in these disorders, particularly when childhood trauma is present, may facilitate long-term recovery and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Marx
- Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Susanne Y Young
- Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Justin Harvey
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - David Rosenstein
- Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Rabellino D, D'Andrea W, Siegle G, Frewen PA, Minshew R, Densmore M, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, McKinnon MC, Lanius RA. Neural correlates of heart rate variability in PTSD during sub- and supraliminal processing of trauma-related cues. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:4898-4907. [PMID: 28714594 PMCID: PMC6867110 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by dysregulated arousal and altered cardiac autonomic response as evidenced by decreased high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), an indirect measure of parasympathetic modulation of the heart. Indeed, subtle threatening cues can cause autonomic dysregulation, even without explicit awareness of the triggering stimulus. Accordingly, examining the neural underpinnings associated with HF-HRV during both sub- and supraliminal exposure to trauma-related cues is critical to an enhanced understanding of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in PTSD. METHODS We compared neural activity in brain regions associated with HF-HRV in PTSD (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 18) during exposure to sub- and supraliminal processing of personalized trauma-related words. RESULTS As compared to controls, PTSD exhibited decreased HF-HRV reactivity in response to sub- and supraliminal cues. Notably, during subliminal processing of trauma-related versus neutral words, as compared to controls, PTSD showed decreased neural response associated with HF-HRV within the left dorsal anterior insula. By contrast, during supraliminal processing of trauma-related versus neutral words, decreased neural activity associated with HF-HRV within the posterior insula/superior temporal cortex, and increased neural activity associated with HF-HRV within the left centromedial amygdala was observed in PTSD as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS Impaired parasympathetic modulation of autonomic arousal in PTSD appears related to altered activation of cortical and subcortical regions involved in the central autonomic network. Interestingly, both sub- and supraliminal trauma-related cues appear to elicit dysregulated arousal and may contribute to the maintenance of hyperarousal in PTSD. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4898-4907, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Rabellino
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
| | | | - Greg Siegle
- Department of Psychology and PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - Paul A. Frewen
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Reese Minshew
- Department of PsychologyThe New SchoolNew YorkNew York
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoIllinois
| | - Maria Densmore
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical ImagingLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Richard W. Neufeld
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Jean Théberge
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical ImagingLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
| | - Margaret C. McKinnon
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's HealthcareHamiltonOntarioCanada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural NeurosciencesMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
- Homewood Research InstituteGuelphOntarioCanada
| | - Ruth A. Lanius
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical ImagingLawson Health Research InstituteLondonOntarioCanada
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49
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Bailey TD, Brand BL. Traumatic dissociation: Theory, research, and treatment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/cpsp.12195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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50
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Fortenbaugh FC, Corbo V, Poole V, McGlinchey R, Milberg W, Salat D, DeGutis J, Esterman M. Interpersonal early-life trauma alters amygdala connectivity and sustained attention performance. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00684. [PMID: 28523226 PMCID: PMC5434189 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Interpersonal early life trauma (I-ELT) is associated with a myriad of functional impairments in adulthood, increased risk of drug addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders. While deficits in emotional regulation and amygdala functioning are well characterized, deficits in general cognitive functioning have also been documented. However, the neural underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction in adults with a history of I-ELT and the potential relationship between amygdala-based functional connectivity and behavioral performance are currently poorly understood. This study examined how I-ELT affects the cognitive and neural mechanisms supporting sustained attention. METHODS A total of 66 Veterans (18 with and 48 without a history of I-ELT) completed a nonemotional sustained attention task during functional MRI. RESULTS The individuals with I-ELT showed significant impairments in sustained attention (i.e., higher error rates, greater response variability). This cohort exhibited increased amygdala functional connectivity with the prefrontal cortex and decreased functional connectivity with the parahippocampal gyrus when compared to those without I-ELT. These connections were significantly correlated with individual differences in sustained attention performance. Notably, classification analyses revealed that the pattern of amygdala connectivity across the whole brain was able to classify I-ELT status with 70% accuracy. CONCLUSION These results provide evidence of a lasting negative impact for those with a history of I-ELT on sustained attention ability. They also highlight a critical role for amygdala functioning in cognitive control and sustained attention for those with a history of I-ELT, which may underlie the observed attention deficits in clinical assessments and cognitive tests involving both emotional and nonemotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca C Fortenbaugh
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - Vincent Corbo
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Psychology School of Arts and Science Southern New Hampshire University Manchester NH USA
| | - Victoria Poole
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Institute of Aging Research Hebrew SeniorLife Boston MA USA
| | - Regina McGlinchey
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - William Milberg
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - David Salat
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging Charlestown MA USA
| | - Joseph DeGutis
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Medicine Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - Michael Esterman
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center VA Boston Healthcare System Boston MA USA.,Department of Psychiatry Boston University School of Medicine Boston MA USA
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