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Transcranial Doppler sonography for post-traumatic stress disorder
D Marinko1, K Dragutin, V Basić-Kes
1General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia.
Military Medicine
|December 1, 2001
Summary
Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) effectively identifies vasospasm in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. This non-invasive method shows significant improvement in cerebral blood flow after psychiatric treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition affecting mental health.
- Cerebral blood flow abnormalities may be linked to PTSD.
- Non-invasive imaging techniques are needed for PTSD diagnosis and monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cerebral blood flow using Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) in PTSD patients.
- To assess the efficacy of psychiatric treatment on cerebral blood flow in PTSD.
- To evaluate TCD's potential role in diagnosing PTSD and monitoring treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Fifty PTSD patients and healthy controls (aged 20-43) underwent TCD.
- TCD assessed blood flow in Willis's circle and vertebrobasilar systems.
- Sonography was repeated after 6 months of successful psychiatric treatment for PTSD patients.
Main Results:
- 62% of PTSD patients exhibited vasospasm in Willis's circle, reducing to 22% post-treatment.
- Only 8% of healthy controls showed vasospasm in Willis's circle.
- No significant differences in vertebrobasilar blood flow were found between groups.
Conclusions:
- TCD is valuable for detecting Willis's circle vasospasm in PTSD patients.
- TCD can aid in diagnosing PTSD and monitoring treatment effectiveness.
- Reduced vasospasm post-treatment supports TCD's role in assessing therapeutic success.