Structural brain changes with lifetime trauma and re-experiencing symptoms is 5-HTTLPR genotype-dependent

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Inconsistent findings on brain alterations post-trauma stem from study heterogeneity.
• Investigating trauma's impact on grey matter volume and 5-HTTLPR genotype interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if trauma and re-experiencing symptoms are linked to specific grey matter volume changes.
• To explore if these alterations are modulated by the 5-HTTLPR genotype.

Main Methods:

• Structural MRI scans analyzed for 22 subregional grey matter volumes in 377 older adults.
• Lifetime trauma and re-experiencing symptoms assessed using Watson's PTSD inventory.
• Statistical analyses adjusted for covariates including age, sex, and comorbidities.

Main Results:

• Re-experiencing symptoms associated with smaller temporal, frontal, and parietal volumes in 5-HTTLPR SS genotype individuals.
• Trauma-exposed individuals without re-experiencing symptoms showed minimal differences, except for parietal regions and amygdala in women.
• 1.9% of participants met full PTSD criteria.

Conclusions:

• Lifetime trauma and re-experiencing symptoms are linked to reduced grey matter in prefrontal, temporal, and parietal regions.
• These associations are influenced by serotonergic genetic vulnerability, with 5-HTTLPR SS individuals being more susceptible.