scholarly journals Associations Between Traumatic Stress, Brain Volumes and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Children: Data from the ABCD Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Bustamante ◽  
Ananda B. Amstadter ◽  
Joshua N. Pritikin ◽  
Timothy R. Brick ◽  
Michael C. Neale

AbstractReduced volumes in brain regions of interest (ROIs), primarily from adult samples, are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We extended this work to children using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® (N = 11,848; Mage = 9.92). Structural equation modeling and an elastic-net (EN) machine-learning approach were used to identify potential effects of traumatic events (TEs) on PTSD symptoms (PTSDsx) directly, and indirectly via the volumes 300 subcortical and cortical ROIs. We then estimated the genetic and environmental variation in the phenotypes. TEs were directly associated with PTSDsx (r = 0.92) in children, but their indirect effects (r < 0.0004)—via the volumes of EN-identified subcortical and cortical ROIs—were negligible at this age. Additive genetic factors explained a modest proportion of the variance in TEs (23.4%) and PTSDsx (21.3%), and accounted for most of the variance of EN-identified volumes of four of the five subcortical (52.4–61.8%) three of the nine cortical ROIs (46.4–53.3%) and cerebral white matter in the left hemisphere (57.4%). Environmental factors explained most of the variance in TEs (C = 61.6%, E = 15.1%), PTSDsx (residual-C = 18.4%, residual-E = 21.8%), right lateral ventricle (C = 15.2%, E = 43.1%) and six of the nine EN-identified cortical ROIs (C = 4.0–13.6%, E = 56.7–74.8%). There is negligible evidence that the volumes of brain ROIs are associated with the indirect effects of TEs on PTSDsx at this age. Overall, environmental factors accounted for more of the variation in TEs and PTSDsx. Whereas additive genetic factors accounted for most of the variability in the volumes of a minority of cortical and in most of subcortical ROIs.

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 1215-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Liedl ◽  
M. O'Donnell ◽  
M. Creamer ◽  
D. Silove ◽  
A. McFarlane ◽  
...  

BackgroundPain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently co-morbid in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Although several models attempt to explain the relationship between these two disorders, the mechanisms underlying the relationship remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between each PTSD symptom cluster and pain over the course of post-traumatic adjustment.MethodIn a longitudinal study, injury patients (n=824) were assessed within 1 week post-injury, and then at 3 and 12 months. Pain was measured using a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to identify causal relationships between pain and PTSD.ResultsIn a saturated model we found that the relationship between acute pain and 12-month pain was mediated by arousal symptoms at 3 months. We also found that the relationship between baseline arousal and re-experiencing symptoms, and later 12-month arousal and re-experiencing symptoms, was mediated by 3-month pain levels. The final model showed a good fit [χ2=16.97, df=12, p>0.05, Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=0.999, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.022].ConclusionsThese findings provide evidence of mutual maintenance between pain and PTSD.


Author(s):  
Karl Peltzer ◽  
Supa Pengpid

Background: Some research seems to suggest that physical activity (PA) was beneficial for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Aim: This study examined the association between levels of PA and PTSD among individuals 15 years and above in South Africa.Setting: Community-based survey sample representative of the national population in South Africa.Methods: In all, 15 201 individuals (mean age 36.9 years) responded to the cross-sectional South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) in 2012.Results: One in five (20.1%) of participants reported exposure to at least one traumatic event in a lifetime, and 2.1% were classified as having a PTSD, 7.9% fulfilled PTSD re-experiencing criteria, 3.0% PTSD avoidance criteria and 4.3% PTSD hyperarousal criteria. Almost half (48.1%) of respondents had low PA, 17.4% moderate PA and 34.5% high PA. In logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, population group, employment status, residence status, number of trauma types, problem drinking, current tobacco use, sleep problems and depressive symptoms, high PA was associated with PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.75, confidence interval [CI] = 1.11–2.75), PTSD re-experiencing symptom criteria (OR = 1.43, CI = 1.09–1.86) and PTSD avoidance symptom criteria (OR = 1.74, CI = 1.18–2.59), but high PA was not associated with PTSD hyperarousal symptom criteria. In generalised structural equation modelling, total trauma events had a positive direct and indirect effect on PTSD mediated by high PA, and high PA had a positive indirect effect on PTSD, mediated by psychological distress and problem drinking.Conclusion: After controlling for relevant covariates, high PA was associated with increased PTSD symptomatology.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph M. Boden ◽  
David M. Fergusson ◽  
L. John Horwood ◽  
Roger T. Mulder

BackgroundFew studies have examined the contribution of specific disaster-related experiences to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.AimsTo examine the roles of peri-traumatic stress and distress due to lingering disaster-related disruption in explaining linkages between disaster exposure and PTSD symptoms among a cohort exposed to the 2010–2011 Canterbury (New Zealand) earthquakes.MethodStructural equation models were fitted to data obtained from the Christchurch Health and Development Study at age 35 (n=495), 20–24 months following the onset of the disaster. Measures included: earthquake exposure, peri-traumatic stress, disruption distress and PTSD symptoms.ResultsThe associations between earthquake exposure and PTSD symptoms were explained largely by the experience of peri-traumatic stress during the earthquakes (β=0.189,P<0.0001) and disruption distress following the earthquakes (β=0.105,P<0.0001).ConclusionsThe results suggest the importance of minimising post-event disruption distress following exposure to a natural disaster.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Weinberg ◽  
Avi Besser ◽  
Virgil Zeigler-Hill ◽  
Yuval Neria

This study examined the relationships between marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety) among 105 couples of injured survivors of terror attacks and their spouses ( N = 210). Structural equation modeling and the actor–partner interdependence model were used to test the interdependence relationship between survivors’ and spouses’ marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms. The results demonstrated that the level of marital satisfaction reported by unexposed spouses was negatively associated with their own trauma-related symptoms as well as with the symptoms reported by the survivors. In contrast, the level of marital satisfaction reported by the survivors was negatively associated with their own trauma-related symptoms but had no connection with trauma-related symptoms reported by their spouses. Taken together, our findings shed new light on the potential links between marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms for survivors of terrorism and their spouses. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are also discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 649-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syuichi Ooki

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the genetic contribution to handedness and footedness in childhood using one of the largest available databases of Japanese twins. The participants were 1131 twin pairs, 1057 males and 1205 females, of 11 or 12 years of age (6th grade of secondary school in the Japanese education system). All data were gathered by questionnaire. The prevalence of left (nonright) handedness was 15% in males and 13% in females. The prevalence of left (nonright) footedness was 13% in males and 11% in females. The similarities between twin pairs, estimated by concordance rates and tetrachoric correlations, suggested a slight genetic effect on male handedness, no genetic effect on female handedness, and no genetic effect on footedness in either sex. Structural equation modeling showed small genetic factors (11%) in male handedness and no genetic factors in female handedness. As to footedness, no genetic factors were observed in either sex. The effects of nonshared environmental factors were large (85%) in males and moderate (44%) in females. Moreover, handedness and footedness tended to be concordant irrespective of sex, with polychoric correlations over r = .70. The results of bivariate genetic analyses were not necessarily satisfactory. For males, no model fit. For females, shared and nonshared environmental factors explained the concordance of handedness and footedness. It was concluded that the genetic effects on handedness and footedness are relatively small, as is their association; moreover, considerably large twin samples are needed to obtain stable and appropriate results.


2005 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 1317-1326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten W. Peeters ◽  
Martine A. Thomis ◽  
Hermine H. M. Maes ◽  
Gaston P. Beunen ◽  
Ruth J. F. Loos ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the observed phenotypic stability in static strength during adolescence, as measured by interage correlations in arm pull, is mainly caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. Subjects were from the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study ( n = 105 pairs, equally divided over 5 zygosity groups). Arm-pull data were aligned on age at peak height velocity to attenuate the temporal fluctuations in interage correlations caused by differences in timing of the adolescent growth spurt. Developmental genetic models were fitted using structural equation modeling. After the data were aligned on age at peak height velocity, the annual interage correlations conformed to a quasi-simplex structure over a 4-yr interval. The best-fitting models included additive genetic and unique environmental sources of variation. Additive genetic factors that already explained a significant amount of variation at previous measurement occasions explained 44.3 and 22.5% of the total variation at the last measurement occasion in boys and girls, respectively. Corresponding values for unique environmental sources of variance are 31.2 and 44.5%, respectively. In conclusion, the observed stability of static strength during adolescence is caused by both stable genetic influences and stable unique environmental influences in boys and girls. Additive genetic factors seem to be the most important source of stability in boys, whereas unique environmental factors appear to be more predominant in girls.


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