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Working memory in posttraumatic stress disorder—an event‐related potential study
Author(s) -
Galletly Cherrie,
Clark C. Richard,
McFarlane Alexander C.,
Weber Darren L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1023/a:1011112917797
Subject(s) - scalp , working memory , psychology , event related potential , audiology , electroencephalography , lateralization of brain function , developmental psychology , cognition , neuroscience , medicine , anatomy
This study examined ERP topography during the updating and the utilization of working memory in subjects with PTSD. Event‐related potentials of 18 participants with PTSD and 18 controls were recorded from 32 scalp electrodes during an auditory target detection task requiring the constant updating of target identity. Midline N2 and P3 abnormalities previously noted in PTSD during target detection were replicated. Scalp topographic data revealed sustained reduction in activity over the right hemisphere during working memory updating. Executive processes were associated with brief but widespread right hemisphere reductions during the P3, followed by sustained, bilateral reduction frontally. This study identifies an abnormal pattern of cortical network function during both the updating and use of working memory in PTSD.