Premium
Smaller hippocampal volume following sexual assault in women is associated with post‐traumatic stress disorder
Author(s) -
Quidé Y.,
Andersson F.,
DufourRainfray D.,
Descriaud C.,
Brizard B.,
Gissot V.,
Cléry H.,
Carrey Le Bas MP.,
Osterreicher S.,
Ogielska M.,
SaintMartin P.,
ElHage W.
Publication year - 2018
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.12920
Subject(s) - sexual assault , traumatic stress , psychology , clinical psychology , hippocampal formation , medicine , psychiatry , poison control , injury prevention , medical emergency
Objective Exposure to sexual assault is a significant risk factor to develop post‐traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) in females. The early neurobiological changes leading to the development of PTSD remain understudied and unclear in this population. Methods Participants were 27 adult females recruited within a month following exposure to sexual assault (T1) and 20 age‐matched non‐exposed controls. Among the victims, 10 participants met ( PTSD +) and 15 did not meet ( PTSD −) DSM ‐ IV criteria for PTSD 6 months post‐trauma (T2). At both visits, hippocampal and amygdala volumes were extracted from magnetic resonance imaging scans, and indices of total diurnal cortisol changes were derived from individual areas under the curve relative to the ground ( AUC g). Measures at T1 were compared between groups at T1, measures at T2 between groups at T2, and measures at T1 between groups at T2. Results At T1, victims had significantly smaller bilateral hippocampal volumes, but not AUC g, than controls. At T2, neither hippocampal volume nor AUC g significantly differed among the groups. However, the PTSD + group had significantly smaller hippocampal volumes at T1 than the control group, but not compared to the PTSD − group. Conclusions This study indicates that having smaller hippocampal volumes is a risk factor to develop PTSD in females exposed to sexual assault.