Brain structure in post-traumatic stress disorder A voxel-based morphometry analysis
摘要
This study compared the difference in brain structure in 12 mine disaster survivors with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder,7 cases of improved post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms,and 14 controls who experienced the same mine disaster but did not suffer post-traumatic stress disorder,using the voxel-based morphometry method.The correlation between differences in brain structure and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms was also investigated.Results showed that the gray matter volume was the highest in the trauma control group,followed by the symptoms-improved group,and the lowest in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group.Compared with the symptoms-improved group,the gray matter volume in the lingual gyrus of the right occipital lobe was reduced in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group.Compared with the trauma control group,the gray matter volume in the right middle occipital gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus was reduced in the symptoms-improved group.Compared with the trauma control group,the gray matter volume in the left superior parietal lobule and right superior frontal gyrus was reduced in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group.The gray matter volume in the left superior parietal lobule was significantly positively correlated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory subscale score in the symptoms-improved group and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group(r=0.477,P=0.039).Our findings indicate that(1) chronic post-traumatic stress disorder patients have gray matter structural damage in the prefrontal lobe,occipital lobe,and parietal lobe,(2) after post-traumatic stress,the disorder symptoms are improved and gray matter structural damage is reduced,but cannot recover to the trauma-control level,and(3) the superior parietal lobule is possibly associated with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.Post-traumatic stress disorder patients exhibit gray matter abnormalities.