scholarly journals Subregional activation of the amygdala during emotional memory encoding in posttraumatic stress disorder: an FMRI investigation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronak Patel

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized as a debilitating and disruptive psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to a single or multiple traumatic events. The disorder expresses itself as a constellation of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms and leads to significant impairment in social and occupation functioning. In Canada, the majority of Canadians are exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime and almost one in ten Canadians go on to develop the disorder. Despite evolving conceptualizations of PTSD, re-experiencing symptoms related to recurrent and intrusive memories remains a core feature of the disorder, and these recollections often accompany other changes in memory. The mechanisms underlying memory disturbances in PTSD however, remain less clear. Early fear conditioning studies in non-human primates implicated alterations to the basolateral subdivision of the amygdala (BLA) in the pathogenesis of PTSD, due to its role in learning and memory for threatening events. The overall goal of this dissertation was to examine whether PTSD is associated with alterations in functional brain activation across three distinct subregions of the amygdala during memory encoding of emotional events varying in valence and arousal. Specifically, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and analysis methods based on probabilistic cytoarchitectonic mapping, activation of the amygdala subregions was examined for a series of photos that participants viewed in the fMRI scanner, and then later remembered during a recognition memory test. Consistent with the study’s primary hypothesis, results those with PTSD (n = 11) showed greater activation of the BLA during encoding of negative relative to positive photos. This effect was unique to the BLA compared with the centromedial amygdala. No subregional differences emerged in the trauma-exposed control group (n = 11). Moreover, the BLA memory effect in the PTSD group was also observed when comorbid depressive symptoms were statistically controlled, and showed a marginally significant effect toward independently predicting symptom severity. Contrary to the study’s hypotheses, there was no evidence of altered BLA activity during memory encoding of high arousing relative to low arousing events. Overall, the results of this dissertation suggest that task-based activation of the amygdala in PTSD is not consistent across the entire structure, and that memory-related processing of negative information is associated with recruitment of the BLA.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronak Patel

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized as a debilitating and disruptive psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to a single or multiple traumatic events. The disorder expresses itself as a constellation of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms and leads to significant impairment in social and occupation functioning. In Canada, the majority of Canadians are exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime and almost one in ten Canadians go on to develop the disorder. Despite evolving conceptualizations of PTSD, re-experiencing symptoms related to recurrent and intrusive memories remains a core feature of the disorder, and these recollections often accompany other changes in memory. The mechanisms underlying memory disturbances in PTSD however, remain less clear. Early fear conditioning studies in non-human primates implicated alterations to the basolateral subdivision of the amygdala (BLA) in the pathogenesis of PTSD, due to its role in learning and memory for threatening events. The overall goal of this dissertation was to examine whether PTSD is associated with alterations in functional brain activation across three distinct subregions of the amygdala during memory encoding of emotional events varying in valence and arousal. Specifically, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and analysis methods based on probabilistic cytoarchitectonic mapping, activation of the amygdala subregions was examined for a series of photos that participants viewed in the fMRI scanner, and then later remembered during a recognition memory test. Consistent with the study’s primary hypothesis, results those with PTSD (n = 11) showed greater activation of the BLA during encoding of negative relative to positive photos. This effect was unique to the BLA compared with the centromedial amygdala. No subregional differences emerged in the trauma-exposed control group (n = 11). Moreover, the BLA memory effect in the PTSD group was also observed when comorbid depressive symptoms were statistically controlled, and showed a marginally significant effect toward independently predicting symptom severity. Contrary to the study’s hypotheses, there was no evidence of altered BLA activity during memory encoding of high arousing relative to low arousing events. Overall, the results of this dissertation suggest that task-based activation of the amygdala in PTSD is not consistent across the entire structure, and that memory-related processing of negative information is associated with recruitment of the BLA.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S359-S360 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sabic ◽  
A. Sabic

The aim of this study was to analyse frequency of embitterment in war veterans with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as the potential impact of embitterment on the development of chronic PTSD.Patients and methodsIt was analyzed 174 subjects (from Health Center Zivinice/mental health center) through a survey conducted in the period from March 2015 to June 2016, of which 87 war veterans with PTSD and control subjects 87 war veterans without PTSD. The primary outcome measure was the post-traumatic embitterment disorder self-rating scale (PTED Scale) who contains 19 items designed to assess features of embitterment reactions to negative life events. Secondary efficacy measures included the clinician-administered PTSD scale–V (CAPS), the PTSD checklist (PCL), the combat exposure scale (CES), the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) and the World health organization quality of life scale (WHOQOL-Bref). All subjects were male. The average age of patients in the group war veterans with PTSD was 52.78 ± 5.99. In the control group, average age was 51.42 ± 5.98. Statistical data were analyzed in SPSS statistical program.ResultsComparing the results, t-tests revealed significant difference between group veterans with PTSD and control group (t = −21,21, P < 0.0001). War veterans group with PTSD (X = 51.41, SD = 8,91), control group (X = 14.39, SD = 13.61).ConclusionEmbitterment is frequent in war veterans with PTSD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


Journalism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1308-1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Lee ◽  
Eun Hye Ha ◽  
Jung Kun Pae

This study investigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on Korean journalists and the contributing variables. Predicting variables included the exposure to traumatic events, coping strategy, social support, optimism, negative beliefs, and the journalists’ occupational perspectives. A total of 367 Korean journalists participated in the survey. The findings revealed that, first, Korean journalists had suffered severely from PTSD symptoms according to the prevalence rate. Second, the extent of traumatic event exposure, the length of career, the use of dysfunctional coping strategy, a lack of social support, and negative beliefs were identified as significantly related variables. Finally, occupational perspectives showed meaningful associations with development of the symptoms. This study provided an empirical analysis of Korean journalists’ experiences of traumatic events and psychological stress for the first time.


2009 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 889-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Bogaerts ◽  
Maarten J. J. Kunst ◽  
Frans W. Winkel

This study examined Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in relation to secure and insecure attachment styles based on data collected in a sample of 81 Belgian security workers. All had experienced one traumatic event in the previous year. The sample was divided into a securely attached and an insecurely attached group. The three PTSD symptom scales, Re-experiencing, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal, differentiated significantly between the two attachment groups; the dismissive attachment style was negatively related to PTSD. Individuals with a positive view of themselves and a negative view of others have less risk of developing PTSD than those with a fearful or preoccupied attachment style. A relationship between the dismissive attachment style with grandiose narcissism seems possible. Interest has been expressed in medical approaches; therefore, the importance of medical research on PTSD is emphasized.


Assessment ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Lauterbach ◽  
Scott Vrana

This paper describes three studies of the reliability and validity of a newly revised version of the Purdue Posttraumatic Stress Disorder scale (PPTSD-R). The PPTSD-R is a 17-item questionnaire that yields four scores: Reexperiencing, Avoidance, Arousal, and Total. It is highly internally consistent (α = .91), and the scores are relatively stable across time. The PPTSD-R is highly correlated with other measures of PTSD symptomatology and moderately correlated with measures of related psychopathology, providing preliminary support for the measure's convergent and discriminant validity. It reliably distinguishes between groups of people who were and were not traumatized, it is sensitive to the impact of different types of traumatic events, and (within a clinical sample) it discriminates between those who did and did not seek treatment for difficulty coping with the traumatic event being assessed. The PPTSD-R shows promise as a measure of PTSD symptoms in the college population.


Author(s):  
Joel Paris

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) differs from other categories that are underdoing diagnostic epidemics, in that its treatment is primarily based on psychotherapy. PTSD tends to be overdiagnosed when clinicians attribute, rightly or wrongly, symptoms to a traumatic event. Yet most people who undergo trauma do not develop PTSD, and people without trauma can have similar symptoms. This chapter shows how the construct of PTSD arose historically. A problematic DSM definition, in relation both to the nature of stressors and the links between stress and outcome, causes PTSD to be overdiagnosed. The result is that many patients are receiving the wrong kind of psychotherapy for their problems.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Anderson Diaz Perez ◽  
Elvis Eliana Pinto Aragón ◽  
Carmenza Leonor Mendoza Cataño ◽  
Moraima del Toro Rubio ◽  
Elkin Navarro-Quiroz

INTRODUCTION: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome known since 1980 with multiple names in the military field. Its etiology is multicausal, whose predominant factor is the lack of adaptation and managing with events considered traumatic. Objective. To describe the clinical characteristics such as the type of psychological and pharmacological treatment received by the naval military with diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the Psychiatric Unit of Cartagena’s Naval Hospital.METHODOLOGY: A descriptive, retrospective cross-sectional study with an associative approach (Crosstabulation). The sample was 242 navy subjects with PTSD diagnosis. The information was collected with a data collection form of medical records. The information analysis was developed through the program SPSS ® 21.0. Chi2 and value of p≤0.05 calculation was applied through the crossing of variables.RESULTS: The most prevalent type of traumatic event was the one represented by combat with the presence of depressive disorders and anxiety with a value of p≤0.05.CONCLUSIONS: The PTSD severity is related to the severity of the event, in addition if the trumatic event was repetitive.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 956-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina Clifford ◽  
Caitlin Hitchcock ◽  
Tim Dalgleish

AbstractBackgroundThis study examined the structure of the self-concept in a sample of sexual trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to healthy controls using a self-descriptive card-sorting task. We explored whether individuals with PTSD possess a highly affectively-compartmentalized self-structure, whereby positive and negative self-attributes are sectioned off into separate components of self-concept (e.g. self as an employee, lover, mother). We also examined redundancy (i.e. overlap) of positive and negative self-attributes across the different components of self-concept.MethodParticipants generated a set of self-aspects that reflected their own life (e.g. ‘self at work’). They were then asked to describe their self-aspects using list of positive or negative attributes.ResultsResults revealed that, relative to the control group, the PTSD group used a greater proportion of negative attributes and had a more compartmentalized self-structure. However, there were no significant differences between the PTSD and control groups in positive or negative redundancy. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the key findings were not accounted for by comorbid diagnosis of depression.ConclusionFindings indicated that the self-structure is organized differently in those with PTSD, relative to those with depression or good mental health.


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