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Potential role of the anterior cingulate cortex in PTSD: Review and hypothesis
Author(s) -
Hamner Mark B,
Lorberbaum Jeffrey P.,
George Mark S.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6394(1999)9:1<1::aid-da1>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - locus coeruleus , anterior cingulate cortex , amygdala , neuroscience , psychology , anxiety , dysfunctional family , cingulate cortex , clinical psychology , psychiatry , cognition , central nervous system
Many symptoms of PTSD represent conditioned responses to stimuli associated with a traumatic experiences. In this review, we propose that the anterior cingulate—a brain region that appears to be involved in fear‐conditioning—is dysfunctional in PTSD, thus facilitating exaggerated emotional and behavioral responses (hyperarousal) to conditioned stimuli. Preclinical studies suggest that the anterior cingulate may serve a critical gating function in modulating conditioned fear responses. As such, this region would be a key component of a neural circuit involved in the pathophysiology of PTSD. An amygdala‐locus coeruleus‐anterior cingulate circuit may be consistent with evidence for chronic noradrenergic activation documented in PTSD patients. According to this model, efferent noradrenergic projections from the locus coeruleus may dampen anterior cingulate function. This in turn would allow myriad external or internally driven stimuli to produce the exaggerated emotional and behavioral responses characteristic of PTSD. If confirmed in future research, cingulate dysfunction would have important theoretical and treatment implications. Depression and Anxiety 9:1–14, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.