Asymmetrically altered integrity of cingulum bundle in posttraumatic stress disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Previous research identified altered white matter tract integrity in the left anterior cingulate in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The current study aimed to pinpoint specific regions within the cingulum bundle that exhibit these alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate regional differences in white matter tract integrity within the cingulum bundle in individuals with PTSD.
• To determine if white matter alterations in the cingulum bundle are asymmetrical in PTSD.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to acquire brain scans from 21 individuals with PTSD and 21 healthy controls.
• Eight isocubic regions of interest (ROIs) within the bilateral cingulum bundle (rostral, subgenual, dorsal, and upper) were analyzed.
• Fractional anisotropy (FA) values, a measure of white matter integrity, were compared between the PTSD and control groups.

Main Results:

• Individuals with PTSD showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the left rostral (26.7% decrease), left subgenual (25.0% decrease), and left dorsal (22.2% decrease) cingulum bundle regions compared to controls.
• No significant differences in FA values were observed in the right-sided cingulum bundle regions between the groups.
• These findings indicate an asymmetrical pattern of white matter alteration in the cingulum bundle in PTSD.

Conclusions:

• The cingulum bundle exhibits asymmetrical white matter integrity alterations in individuals with PTSD, predominantly affecting left-sided regions.
• These findings contribute to understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD.
• Further research may explore the functional implications of these asymmetrical cingulum bundle changes in PTSD.