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Hippocampal volume in chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): MRI study using two different evaluation methods.
A Jatzko1, S Rothenhöfer, A Schmitt
1Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty for Clinical Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|May 17, 2006
Summary
This study found no hippocampal volume differences in chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients compared to controls, even 15 years post-trauma. Findings suggest PTSD may not cause lasting hippocampal changes or they may resolve over time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- The hippocampus plays a key role in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) pathogenesis.
- Existing MRI studies on hippocampal volume in PTSD show inconsistent results.
- Patient trauma heterogeneity and data processing methods may explain inconsistencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hippocampal volume changes in well-characterized chronic PTSD patients.
- To compare PTSD patients with matched healthy controls.
- To utilize two distinct evaluation methods for volume assessment.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 15 chronic PTSD patients from a 1988 air crash and 15 matched controls.
- Ensured PTSD patients had significant impairment and no substance abuse history.
- Analyzed hippocampus volume using semi-automated BRAINS2 and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with SPM2.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in total brain grey or white matter between groups.
- No differences in total hippocampal volume, or right/left parts, even after brain volume correction.
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) also revealed no significant hippocampal region differences between PTSD patients and controls.
Conclusions:
- This is the first study to compare long-term hippocampal volumes in chronic PTSD using two methods.
- Neither conventional volumetry nor VBM identified hippocampal volume or structural differences.
- Results support that hippocampal volume reduction may not be inherent to PTSD or can be restored/develop later.