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Diminished medial prefrontal cortex activation during the recollection of stressful events is an acquired characteristic of PTSD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2017

M. K. Dahlgren ,
L. M. Laifer ,
M. B. VanElzakker ,
R. Offringa ,
K. C. Hughes ,
L. K. Staples-Bradley ,
S. J. Dubois ,
N. B. Lasko ,
C. A. Hinojosa  and
S. P. Orr
...Show all authors
M. K. Dahlgren
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
L. M. Laifer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
M. B. VanElzakker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
R. Offringa
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
K. C. Hughes
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
L. K. Staples-Bradley
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
S. J. Dubois
Affiliation:
University of New England, Portland, ME, USA
N. B. Lasko
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
C. A. Hinojosa
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
S. P. Orr
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
R. K. Pitman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
L. M. Shin*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
*
Author for correspondence: L. M. Shin, E-mail: lisa.shin@tufts.edu
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Abstract

Background

Previous research has shown relatively diminished medial prefrontal cortex activation and heightened psychophysiological responses during the recollection of personal events in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the origin of these abnormalities is unknown. Twin studies provide the opportunity to determine whether such abnormalities reflect familial vulnerabilities, result from trauma exposure, or are acquired characteristics of PTSD.

Methods

In this case–control twin study, 26 male identical twin pairs (12 PTSD; 14 non-PTSD) discordant for PTSD and combat exposure recalled and imagined trauma-unrelated stressful and neutral life events using a standard script-driven imagery paradigm during functional magnetic resonance imaging and concurrent skin conductance measurement.

Results

Diminished activation in the medial prefrontal cortex during Stressful v. Neutral script-driven imagery was observed in the individuals with PTSD, relative to other groups.

Conclusions

Diminished medial prefrontal cortex activation during Stressful v. Neutral script-driven imagery may be an acquired characteristic of PTSD. If replicated, this finding could be used prospectively to inform diagnosis and the assessment of treatment response.

Keywords

fMRIfunctional neuroimagingpost-traumatic stress disorderscript-driven imageryskin conductancetwin study
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 48 , Issue 7 , May 2018 , pp. 1128 - 1138
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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