TY - JOUR
T1 - Gray matter volume alterations related to trait dissociation in PTSD and traumatized controls
AU - Nardo, D.
AU - Högberg, G.
AU - Lanius, R. A.
AU - Jacobsson, H.
AU - Jonsson, C.
AU - Hällström, T.
AU - Pagani, M.
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Objective: This study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate brain structural alterations related to trait dissociation and its relationship with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Thirty-two subjects either developing (N = 15) or non-developing (N = 17) PTSD underwent MRI scanning and were assessed with the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), subscales for pathological (DES-T) and non-pathological trait (DES-A) dissociation, and other clinical measures. Gray matter volume (GMV) was analyzed using VBM as implemented in SPM. PTSD and non-PTSD subjects were compared to assess brain alterations related to PTSD pathology, whereas correlation analyses between dissociation measures and GMV were performed on the whole sample (N = 32), irrespective of PTSD diagnosis, to identify alterations related to trait dissociation. Results: As compared to traumatized controls, PTSD subjects showed reduced GMV in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and lingual gyrus. Correlations with dissociation measures (DES, DES-T, and DES-A) consistently showed increased GMV in the medial and lateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal, parahippocampal, temporal polar, and inferior parietal cortices. Conclusion: PTSD and dissociation seem to be associated with opposite volumetric patterns in the prefrontal cortex. Trait dissociation appears to involve increased GMV in prefrontal, paralimbic, and parietal cortices, with negligible differences between pathological and non-pathological dissociation.
AB - Objective: This study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate brain structural alterations related to trait dissociation and its relationship with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Thirty-two subjects either developing (N = 15) or non-developing (N = 17) PTSD underwent MRI scanning and were assessed with the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), subscales for pathological (DES-T) and non-pathological trait (DES-A) dissociation, and other clinical measures. Gray matter volume (GMV) was analyzed using VBM as implemented in SPM. PTSD and non-PTSD subjects were compared to assess brain alterations related to PTSD pathology, whereas correlation analyses between dissociation measures and GMV were performed on the whole sample (N = 32), irrespective of PTSD diagnosis, to identify alterations related to trait dissociation. Results: As compared to traumatized controls, PTSD subjects showed reduced GMV in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and lingual gyrus. Correlations with dissociation measures (DES, DES-T, and DES-A) consistently showed increased GMV in the medial and lateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal, parahippocampal, temporal polar, and inferior parietal cortices. Conclusion: PTSD and dissociation seem to be associated with opposite volumetric patterns in the prefrontal cortex. Trait dissociation appears to involve increased GMV in prefrontal, paralimbic, and parietal cortices, with negligible differences between pathological and non-pathological dissociation.
KW - Dissociative Experience Scale
KW - Gray matter volume
KW - Post-traumatic stress disorder
KW - Trait dissociation
KW - Voxel-based morphometry (VBM)
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U2 - 10.1111/acps.12026
DO - 10.1111/acps.12026
M3 - Article
C2 - 23113800
AN - SCOPUS:84881529243
VL - 128
SP - 222
EP - 233
JO - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
SN - 0001-690X
IS - 3
ER -