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Gray matter volume alterations related to trait dissociation in PTSD and traumatized controls
Author(s) -
Nardo D.,
Högberg G.,
Lanius R. A.,
Jacobsson H.,
Jonsson C.,
Hällström T.,
Pagani M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/acps.12026
Subject(s) - dissociation (chemistry) , pathological , psychology , prefrontal cortex , parahippocampal gyrus , orbitofrontal cortex , neuroscience , voxel based morphometry , temporal lobe , magnetic resonance imaging , cognition , pathology , medicine , white matter , chemistry , epilepsy , radiology
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.