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Unterholzner J, Kautzky A, Reed MB, Wechsler TF, Popper V, Spurny-Dworak B, Stöhrmann P, Klöbl M, Varghese N, Mühlberger A, Eckert A, Frey R, Rujescu D, Lanzenberger R, Vanicek T. Effects of lockdowns on neurobiological and psychometric parameters in unipolar depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:42. [PMID: 38242882 PMCID: PMC10798945 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02733-1] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Defying the COVID-19 pandemic required restriction measures of unprecedented scale, that may induce and exacerbate psychiatric symptoms across the population. We aimed to assess in vivo dynamic effects of mitigation strategies on human brain neurobiology, neuroplastic as well as psychometric parameters. Three structural magnetic resonance imaging measurements, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (sBDNF) analyses, and psychometric assessments (Beck Depression Inventory-II and Perceived Stress Questionnaire-20) were performed in healthy individuals and patients with a recurrent major depressive disorder in the period from September 2020 to July 2021. Group differences and changes over time in structural imaging, neuroplastic and psychometric parameters were assessed with linear mixed models. Analysis of data from 18 patients with a recurrent major depressive disorder and 28 healthy individuals showed clinically relevant scores for depression and stress in the patient group as well as significant cross-sectional differences in depression scores (F = 30.89, p < 0.001) and three subscales of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (Worries: F = 19.19, p < 0.001, Tension: F = 34.44, p < 0.001, Joy: F = 12.05, p = 0.001). Linear mixed models revealed no significant changes over time in cortical thickness of the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala (F = 0.29, p > 0.1) and no interaction with group (F = 0.28, p > 0.1). Further, analysis revealed no main effect of time and no interaction of time x group in depressive symptoms, perceived stress subscales, and sBDNF (all p > 0.1). Despite the limited sample size, the strength of this investigation lies in the multimodal assessment of peri-pandemic lockdown effects. Nine months of varying restrictions measures did not result in observable changes in brain morphology nor impact depressive symptoms in either psychiatric patients with a recurrent major depressive disorder or healthy individuals. While these neurobiological and psychometric data stand in contrast to initial expectations about the effects of restriction measures, they might inform future investigations of longitudinal effects of restriction measures on mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Unterholzner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Kautzky
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Murray Bruce Reed
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresa Friederike Wechsler
- Department for Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Valentin Popper
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin Spurny-Dworak
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Stöhrmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nimmy Varghese
- Neurobiology Lab for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform Molecular & Cognitive Neuroscience (MCN), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Mühlberger
- Department for Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiology Lab for Brain Aging and Mental Health, Transfaculty Research Platform Molecular & Cognitive Neuroscience (MCN), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Richard Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Vanicek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Kim HJ, Seo J, Bang M, Lee SH. Self-forgiveness is associated with increased volumes of fusiform gyrus in healthy individuals. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5505. [PMID: 37016005 PMCID: PMC10073139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32731-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-forgiveness (SF) involves a process through which negative moral emotions directed at the self are replaced by benevolence and acceptance. Lower SF scores can be associated with less self-compassion, higher psychological distress, and lower life dissatisfaction. However, neural correlates of SF have not been investigated yet. We enrolled a total of 79 healthy individuals. The Self-Forgiveness Scale (SFS), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were evaluated. Voxel-wise correlational analyses showed a significant positive correlation between the total SFS scores and gray matter volumes (GMVs) in the fusiform gyrus (FG). In addition, the GMVs in the FG were significantly positively associated with the total SCS and CD-RISC scores and negatively correlated with the total BDI-II and BAI scores. These findings suggest that the FG related to the mirror neuron system might be a neural correlate of SF. Furthermore, its increased volumes of FG in healthy individuals can be associated with the capacity to overcome stressful life events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea.
| | - Junghwa Seo
- CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
| | - Minji Bang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Hyuk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea.
- CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
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Lan Q, Ge J, Dai H, Lu J, Wu L, Liu B, Zhang L, Lu G, Qi R, Cao Z, Luo Y. Longitudinal changes in brain structure and their relationship with subclinical psychiatric symptoms in parents who lost their only child in China. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2216624. [PMID: 37334993 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2216624] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Losing an only child (Shidu) is a grievous traumatic event that may affect brain structure, even if it does not lead to psychiatric disorders. However, longitudinal changes in brain structure and their relationship to subclinical psychiatric symptoms (SPS) have not been well investigated in Shidu parents without any psychiatric disorders (SDNP). OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in cortical thickness and surface area in SDNP, and to explore their relationship with SPS. METHODS A total of 50 SDNP and 40 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. All participants underwent structural MRI scans and clinical assessment at baseline and at the 5-year follow-up. Differences in brain structural phenotypes (cortical thickness, surface area, and their annual rate of change) between the SDNP and HC groups were compared using FreeSurfer. Correlations between significant brain structural phenotypes and SPS in the SDNP group were evaluated using multiple linear regressions. RESULTS The SDNP group showed a smaller surface area in the left inferior parietal cortex than the HC group at baseline and follow-up. The SDNP group showed slower rates of cortical thinning and surface area loss in several brain regions than the HC group from baseline to follow-up. Moreover, slower rates of cortical thinning in the left insula, superior frontal cortex, and superior temporal cortex were associated with greater reductions in avoidance, depression, and trauma re-experiencing symptoms scores over time in the SDNP group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Shidu trauma-induced structural abnormalities in the inferior parietal cortex may persist over time and be independent of the severity of psychiatric symptoms. The expansion of prefrontal, temporal, and insular cortex implicated in emotional regulation may contribute to improvements in psychiatric symptoms in Shidu parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyue Lan
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiyuan Ge
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanhuan Dai
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Junjie Lu
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Luoan Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yixing mental health center, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangming Lu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongfeng Qi
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihong Cao
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifeng Luo
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
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Shi L, Ren Z, Qiu J. High Thought Control Ability, High Resilience: The Effect of Temporal Cortex and Insula Connectivity. Neuroscience 2021; 472:60-67. [PMID: 34363870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.07.034] [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: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Psychological resilience is always portrayed as the ability to rebound from adversity, which is essential for human mental health. Whereas thought control ability (TCA) is a reliable indicator of perceptual cognitive control and has a predictive effect on psychopathology. Whether and how resilience correlates with thought control are still unclear. The current study explored the whole-brain functional connectivity underlying resilience and its role in the association between resilience and TCA using resting-state fMRI. Results reveled a significant positive correlation between resilience and the functional connectivity of temporal cortex-insula, suggesting that individuals with high resilient ability exhibit flexible interaction between these two regions to facilitate emotional information processing. More importantly, a significant positive correlation between TCA and resilience was observed, and the functional connectivity of temporal cortex-insula has a significant mediation effect on the association between TCA and psychological resilience, revealing that individuals with high TCA show high levels of resilience ability through robust cognitive control on unwanted thoughts. In short, these results extended previous findings by shedding novel insights into the close relationship between resilience and TCA and the underlying neural mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhiting Ren
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Jeong H, Lee YJ, Kim N, Jeon S, Jun JY, Yoo SY, Lee SH, Lee J, Kim SJ. Increased medial prefrontal cortical thickness and resilience to traumatic experiences in North Korean refugees. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14910. [PMID: 34290327 PMCID: PMC8295347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94452-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known regarding structural brain changes in traumatized refugees and the association with psychopathology. In the present study, the cortical thickness in North Korean refugees and the association with psychological symptoms were explored. North Korean refugees with lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD group, n = 27), trauma-exposed North Korean refugees without lifetime PTSD (trauma-exposed control (TEC) group, n = 23), and healthy South Korean controls without traumatic experiences (HC group, n = 51) completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, somatization, and PTSD symptoms. The cortical thickness was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using FreeSurfer. Age- and sex-adjusted cortical thickness of the right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was greater in the TEC group than in the HC group. However, significant differences were not observed between the PTSD and HC groups. Increased right mPFC thickness was significantly correlated with less anxiety and somatization after controlling for age and sex in the TEC group, but not in the PTSD or HC groups. North Korean refugees who did not develop PTSD after trauma showed increased right mPFC thickness, which was associated with less severe psychiatric symptoms. These findings indicate that increased mPFC thickness might have helped to reduce PTSD and psychiatric symptoms after trauma, and likely reflects resilience achieved by potentially enhancing emotional regulation in the mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo Jeong
- Geumsan-Gun Public Health Center, Geumsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Jin Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Sleep and Chronobiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nambeom Kim
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sehyun Jeon
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Yong Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Hee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jooyoung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seog Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Basavaraju R, France J, Maas B, Brickman AM, Flory JD, Szeszko PR, Yehuda R, Neria Y, Rutherford BR, Provenzano FA. Right parahippocampal volume deficit in an older population with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 137:368-375. [PMID: 33761425 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an increasingly prevalent condition among older adults and may escalate further as the general population including veterans from recent conflicts grow older. Despite growing evidence of higher medical comorbidity, cognitive impairment and dementia, and disability in older individuals with PTSD, there are very few studies examining brain cortical structure in this population. Hence, we examined cortical volumes in a cross-sectional study of veterans and civilians aged ≥50 years, of both sexes and exposed to trauma (interpersonal, combat, non-interpersonal). METHODS Cortical volumes were obtained from T1-weighted structural MRI and compared between individuals with PTSD and Trauma Exposed Healthy Controls (TEHC) adjusting for age, sex, estimated intracranial volume, depression severity, and time elapsed since trauma exposure. RESULTS The PTSD group (N = 55) had smaller right parahippocampal gyrus compared to TEHC (N = 36), corrected p(pFWER) = 0.034, with an effect size of 0.75 (Cohen's d), with no significant group differences in other cortical areas. CONCLUSIONS These findings are different from the structural brain findings reported in studies in younger age groups (larger parahippocampal volume in PTSD patients), suggesting a possible significant change in brain structure as PTSD patients age. These results need replication in longitudinal studies across the age-span to test whether they are neuroanatomical markers representing disease vulnerability, trauma resilience or pathological neurodegeneration associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakshathi Basavaraju
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, USA.
| | - Jeanelle France
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, USA.
| | - Benjamin Maas
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, USA.
| | - Adam M Brickman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, G.H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, USA.
| | - Janine D Flory
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, USA.
| | - Philip R Szeszko
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, NY, USA; James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, USA.
| | - Yuval Neria
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center & New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA.
| | - Bret R Rutherford
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons & New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA.
| | - Frank A Provenzano
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, USA.
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You B, Jackson T. Gray Matter Volume Differences Between More Versus Less Resilient Adults with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Voxel-based Morphology Study. Neuroscience 2021; 457:155-164. [PMID: 33484820 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Resilience, a personality construct that reflects capacities to persevere, maintain a positive outlook and/or thrive despite ongoing stressors, has emerged as an important focus of research on chronic pain (CP). Although behavior studies have found more resilient persons with CP experience less pain-related dysfunction than less resilient cohorts do, the presence and nature of associated brain structure differences has received scant attention. To address this gap, we examined gray matter volume (GMV) differences between more versus less resilient adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Participants (75 women, 43 men) were community-dwellers who reported ongoing musculoskeletal pain for at least three months. More (n = 57) and less (n = 61) resilient subgroups, respectively, were identified on the basis of scoring above and below median scores on two validated resilience questionnaires. Voxel-based morphology (VBM) undertaken to examine resilience subgroup differences in GMV indicated more resilient participants displayed significantly larger GMV in the (1) bilateral precuneus, (2) left superior and inferior parietal lobules, (3) orbital right middle frontal gyrus and medial right superior frontal gyrus, and (4) bilateral median cingulate and paracingulate gyri, even after controlling for subgroup differences on demographics and measures of pain-related distress. Together, results underscored the presence and nature of specific GMV differences underlying subjective reports of more versus less resilient responses to ongoing musculoskeletal pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei You
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, China Education Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Qiannan Preschool Education College, Guizhou 551300, China
| | - Todd Jackson
- Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, SAR, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, China Education Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Wakonig K, Eitel F, Ritter K, Hetzer S, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Bellmann-Strobl J, Haynes JD, Brandt AU, Gold SM, Paul F, Weygandt M. Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:568850. [PMID: 33117263 PMCID: PMC7574404 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.568850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. Objective: To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). Methods: 36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. Results: Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t = 2.20, p = 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t = 1.99, p = 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t = 1.62, p = 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t = -5.55, pfamily-wise-error(FWE)corrected = 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t = -4.89, pFWE = 0.039). Conclusion: PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Wakonig
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Eitel
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Ritter
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - John-Dylan Haynes
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander U. Brandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (INIMS), University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Weygandt
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
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Kahl M, Wagner G, de la Cruz F, Köhler S, Schultz CC. Resilience and cortical thickness: a MRI study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 270:533-539. [PMID: 30542819 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-018-0963-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Resilience is defined as the psychological resistance which enables the processing of stress and adverse life events and thus constitutes a key factor for the genesis of psychiatric illness. However, little is known about the morphological correlates of resilience in the human brain. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the neuroanatomical expression of resilience in healthy individuals. 151 healthy subjects were recruited and had to complete a resilience-specific questionnaire (RS-11). All of them underwent a high-resolution T1-weighted MRI in a 3T scanner. Fine-grained cortical thickness was analyzed using FreeSurfer. We found a significant positive correlation between the individual extent of resilience and cortical thickness in a right hemispherical cluster incorporating the lateral occipital cortex, the fusiform gyrus, the inferior parietal cortex as well as the middle and inferior temporal cortex, i.e., a reduced resilience is associated with a decreased cortical thickness in these areas. We lend novel evidence for a direct linkage between psychometric resilience and local cortical thickness. Our findings in a sample of healthy individuals show that a lower resilience is associated with a lower cortical thickness in anatomical areas are known to be involved in the processing of emotional visual input. These regions have been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis of stress and trauma-associated disorders. It can thus be assumed that neuroanatomical variations in these cortical regions might modulate the susceptibility for the development of stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kahl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Gerd Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Feliberto de la Cruz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Köhler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.,Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - C Christoph Schultz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum Fulda gAG, Universitätsmedizin Marburg, Campus Fulda, Fulda, Germany.
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10
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Li F, Jackson T. Gray matter volume differences between lower, average, and higher pain resilience subgroups. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13631. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fenghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognition & Personality Southwest University Chongqing China
| | - Todd Jackson
- Key Laboratory of Cognition & Personality Southwest University Chongqing China
- Department of Psychology University of Macau Taipa China
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11
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Kinzel P, Marx CE, Sollmann N, Hartl E, Guenette JP, Kaufmann D, Bouix S, Pasternak O, Rathi Y, Coleman MJ, van der Kouwe A, Helmer K, Kilts JD, Naylor JC, Morey RA, Shutter L, Andaluz N, Coimbra R, Lang AJ, George MS, McAllister TW, Zafonte R, Stein MB, Shenton ME, Koerte IK. Serum Neurosteroid Levels Are Associated With Cortical Thickness in Individuals Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Clin EEG Neurosci 2020; 51:285-299. [PMID: 32186207 DOI: 10.1177/1550059420909676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) co-occurring with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common in veterans. Worse clinical outcome in those with PTSD has been associated with decreased serum neurosteroid levels. Furthermore, decreased cortical thickness has been associated with both PTSD and mTBI. However, it is not known whether decreased neurosteroids are associated with decreased cortical thickness in PTSD co-occurring with mTBI. This study included 141 individuals divided into the following groups: (a) mTBI group (n = 32 [10 female, 22 male] veterans with a history of mTBI); (b) PTSD + mTBI group (n = 41 [6 female, 35 male] veterans with current PTSD with a history of mTBI); and (c) control group (n = 68 [35 female, 33 male] control participants), which were acquired through the Injury and Traumatic Stress (INTRuST) Clinical Consortium. Subjects underwent clinical assessment, magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T, and serum neurosteroid quantifications of allopregnanolone (ALLO) and pregnenolone (PREGN). Group differences in cortical thickness and associations between serum neurosteroid levels and cortical thickness were investigated. Cortical thickness was decreased in the PTSD + mTBI group compared with the other groups. In the PTSD + mTBI group, decreased cortical thickness was also associated with lower serum ALLO (right superior frontal cortex) and lower serum PREGN (left middle temporal and right orbitofrontal cortex). Cortical thickness in the middle temporal and orbitofrontal cortex was associated with PTSD symptom severity. There were no significant associations between neurosteroids and cortical thickness in the mTBI or control groups. Decreased cortical thickness in individuals with PTSD + mTBI is associated with decreased serum neurosteroid levels and greater PTSD symptom severity. Causality is unclear. However, future studies might investigate whether treatment with neurosteroids could counteract stress-induced neural atrophy in PTSD + mTBI by potentially preserving cortical thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Kinzel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Christine E Marx
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nico Sollmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hartl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jeffrey P Guenette
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Coleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andre van der Kouwe
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Karl Helmer
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jason D Kilts
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer C Naylor
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rajendra A Morey
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lori Shutter
- Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Neurology and Neurosurgery, UPMC Health System/University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Norberto Andaluz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Mayfield Brain & Spine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Raul Coimbra
- Department of General Surgery, Riverside University Health System Medical Center, Moreno Valley, CA, USA
| | - Ariel J Lang
- VA San Diego Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH), San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mark S George
- Psychiatry Department, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Ross Zafonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- VA San Diego Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH), San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, Brockton, MA, USA
| | - Inga K Koerte
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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12
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Leys C, Arnal C, Wollast R, Rolin H, Kotsou I, Fossion P. Perspectives on resilience: Personality Trait or Skill? EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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13
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Santhanam P, Wilson SH, Mulatya C, Oakes TR, Weaver LK. Age-Accelerated Reduction in Cortical Surface Area in United States Service Members and Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. J Neurotrauma 2019; 36:2922-2929. [PMID: 31094282 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.6242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of combat-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and relatively high incidence of concurrent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the joint effect of these conditions on the brain is not well understood. Further, few studies in the mTBI or PTSD populations focus on cortical surface area measures, despite known disruptions to cytoarchitecture of the cortex. This study examines the effects of comorbid mTBI and PTSD on age-related surface area changes across the cortex, as compared with a group with mTBI only. While a direct comparison of PTSD versus non-PTSD groups showed little difference on surface area measures, several regions showed a decline in surface area, with increasing age and a significant PTSD-by-age interaction effect, indicating an age-dependent decrease in surface area in those with both mTBI and PTSD. The findings suggest an apparent age-accelerated shrinking of the cortical surface area in some regions when mTBI and PTSD are present, a pattern that was not consistently found in those with mTBI only. Among the several cortical regions with significant age-by-group interactions were bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (left: p = 0.03; right: p = 0.02), isthmus of the cingulate (left: p = 0.016; right: p = 0.001), and lateral orbitofrontal cortex (left: p = 0.038; right: p = 0.02). It is possible that these findings are related to a larger pattern of premature neurodegeneration and age-acceleration noted in those with long-term PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Santhanam
- Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | | | - Terrence R Oakes
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Lindell K Weaver
- Division of Hyperbaric, Medicine Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, UT and Intermountain LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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14
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Zhang X, Zhang J, Wang L, Zhang W. Altered Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation With PTSD Severity in Chinese Earthquake Survivors. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:629. [PMID: 30555358 PMCID: PMC6284061 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To detect the changes of gray matter volume (GMV) and their correlation with severity of symptom in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who were defined with updated DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Method: 71 participants were assigned into PTSD group (n = 35) or trauma-exposed control (TEC) group (n = 36) with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to detect alterations in GMV in the PTSD group. Results: We found that the PTSD group had larger GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) and in the right dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and smaller GMV in the region of the right temporal pole (TP) than the TEC group. We also found that PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores correlated positively with the left MTG and right dmPFC GMV, and negatively with left TP GMV. These correlations were consistent with the findings of the between-group comparisons. Conclusions: GMV alterations in the MTG, dmPFC, and TP are detected in the group comparisons and correlated with symptom severity when classifying PTSD individuals according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria within an earthquake-exposed population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences 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
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wencai Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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15
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Karstens AJ, Ajilore O, Rubin LH, Yang S, Zhang A, Leow A, Kumar A, Lamar M. Investigating the separate and interactive associations of trauma and depression on brain structure: implications for cognition and aging. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2017; 32. [PMID: 28643948 PMCID: PMC5638677 DOI: 10.1002/gps.4755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Trauma and depression are associated with brain structural alterations; their combined effects on these outcomes are unclear. We previously reported a negative effect of trauma, independent of depression, on verbal learning and memory; less is known about underlying structural associates. We investigated separate and interactive associations of trauma and depression on brain structure. METHODS Adults aged 30-89 (N = 203) evaluated for depression (D+) and trauma history (T+) using structured clinical interviews were divided into 53 D+T+, 42 D+T-, 50 D-T+, and 58 D-T-. Multivariable linear regressions examined the separate and interactive associations of depression and trauma with prefrontal and temporal lobe cortical thickness composites and hippocampal volumes adjusting for age, sex, predicted verbal IQ, comorbid anxiety, and vascular risk. Significant results informed analyses of tract-based structural connectomic measures of efficiency and centrality. RESULTS Trauma, independent of depression, was associated with greater left prefrontal cortex (PFC) thickness, in particular the medial orbitofrontal cortex and pars orbitalis. A trauma × depression interaction was observed for the right PFC in age-stratified analyses: Older D + T+ had reduced PFC thickness compared with older D - T+ individuals. Regardless of age, trauma was associated with more left medial orbitofrontal cortex efficiency and less pars orbitalis centrality. In the T+ group, left pars orbitalis cortical thickness and centrality negatively correlated with verbal learning. CONCLUSIONS Trauma, independent of depression, associated with altered PFC characteristics, morphologically and in terms of structural network communication and influence. Additionally, findings suggest that there may be a combined effect of trauma and depression in older adults. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee J. Karstens
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Olusola Ajilore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Leah H. Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Shaolin Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612,Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Aifeng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Alex Leow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612,Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Anand Kumar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612,Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612,Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612
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16
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Akiki TJ, Averill CL, Abdallah CG. A Network-Based Neurobiological Model of PTSD: Evidence From Structural and Functional Neuroimaging Studies. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2017; 19:81. [PMID: 28924828 PMCID: PMC5960989 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-017-0840-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although a fine-grained understanding of the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is yet to be elucidated, the last two decades have seen a rapid growth in the study of PTSD using neuroimaging techniques. The current review summarizes important findings from functional and structural neuroimaging studies of PTSD, by primarily focusing on their relevance towards an emerging network-based neurobiological model of the disorder. RECENT FINDINGS PTSD may be characterized by a weakly connected and hypoactive default mode network (DMN) and central executive network (CEN) that are putatively destabilized by an overactive and hyperconnected salience network (SN), which appears to have a low threshold for perceived saliency, and inefficient DMN-CEN modulation. There is considerable evidence for large-scale functional and structural network dysfunction in PTSD. Nevertheless, several limitations and gaps in the literature need to be addressed in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teddy J. Akiki
- National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher L. Averill
- National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chadi G. Abdallah
- National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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17
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Akiki TJ, Averill CL, Wrocklage KM, Schweinsburg B, Scott JC, Martini B, Averill LA, Southwick SM, Krystal JH, Abdallah CG. The Association of PTSD Symptom Severity with Localized Hippocampus and Amygdala Abnormalities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 1. [PMID: 28825050 PMCID: PMC5562232 DOI: 10.1177/2470547017724069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background The hippocampus and amygdala have been repeatedly implicated in the
psychopathology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While numerous
structural neuroimaging studies examined these two structures in PTSD, these
analyses have largely been limited to volumetric measures. Recent advances
in vertex-based neuroimaging methods have made it possible to identify
specific locations of subtle morphometric changes within a structure of
interest. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used high-resolution magnetic resonance
imaging to examine the relationship between PTSD symptomatology, as measured
using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the DSM-IV, and structural
shape of the hippocampus and amygdala using vertex-wise shape analyses in a
group of combat-exposed U.S. Veterans (N = 69). Results Following correction for multiple comparisons and controlling for age and
cranial volume, we found that participants with more severe PTSD symptoms
showed an indentation in the anterior half of the right hippocampus and an
indentation in the dorsal region of the right amygdala (corresponding to the
centromedial amygdala). Post hoc analysis using stepwise regression suggest
that among PTSD symptom clusters, arousal symptoms explain most of the
variance in the hippocampal abnormality, whereas reexperiencing symptoms
explain most of the variance in the amygdala abnormality. Conclusion The results provide evidence of localized abnormalities in the anterior
hippocampus and centromedial amygdala in combat-exposed U.S. Veterans
suffering from PTSD symptoms. This novel finding provides a more
fine-grained analysis of structural abnormalities in PTSD and may be
informative for understanding the neurobiology of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teddy J Akiki
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher L Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kristen M Wrocklage
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, Department of Psychology, Wallingford, Connecticut
| | - Brian Schweinsburg
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Brenda Martini
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lynnette A Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Steven M Southwick
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - John H Krystal
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chadi G Abdallah
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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18
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Wrocklage KM, Averill LA, Cobb Scott J, Averill CL, Schweinsburg B, Trejo M, Roy A, Weisser V, Kelly C, Martini B, Harpaz-Rotem I, Southwick SM, Krystal JH, Abdallah CG. Cortical thickness reduction in combat exposed U.S. veterans with and without PTSD. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:515-525. [PMID: 28279623 PMCID: PMC5429865 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the extent of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans exposed to combat who varied in the severity of their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In addition, we explored the neural correlates of PTSD symptom dimensions and the interactive effects of combat exposure and PTSD upon cortical thickness. Sixty-nine combat exposed Veterans completed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to estimate cortical thickness. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) assessments were completed to measure current PTSD and historical combat severity, respectively. PTSD symptom dimensions (numbing, avoidance, reexperiencing, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal) were studied. Vertex-wise whole cerebrum analyses were conducted. We found widespread negative correlations between CAPS severity and cortical thickness, particularly within the prefrontal cortex. This prefrontal correlation remained significant after controlling for depression severity, medication status, and other potential confounds. PTSD dimensions, except anxious arousal, negatively correlated with cortical thickness in various unique brain regions. CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the left lateral prefrontal, regardless of PTSD diagnosis. A significant interaction between CES and PTSD diagnosis was found, such that CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the non-PTSD, but not in the PTSD, participants. The results underscore the severity of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans suffering from high level of PTSD symptoms, as well as in Veterans with no PTSD diagnosis but severe combat exposure. The latter finding raises considerable concerns about a concealed injury potentially related to combat exposure in the post-9/11 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Wrocklage
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Lynnette A Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Christopher L Averill
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Brian Schweinsburg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Medical Center, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Marcia Trejo
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Alicia Roy
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Valerie Weisser
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Christopher Kelly
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Brenda Martini
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ilan Harpaz-Rotem
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Steven M Southwick
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - John H Krystal
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Chadi G Abdallah
- National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
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