Mapping PTSD-Related Brain Dysregulation With Connectome Gradient Analysis.
Meirong He1,2, Hongru Zhu3, Xiaoyan Wang1,2
1College of Electrical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI
|May 24, 2025
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to disrupted brain hierarchy. This study reveals altered brain network organization and connectivity in PTSD patients, potentially explaining symptoms like hypervigilance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The human brain exhibits a hierarchical architecture, crucial for its function.
- Previous research suggests Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may involve disruptions in this cerebral hierarchy, but mechanisms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hierarchical organization disorders in the brain of PTSD patients.
- To explore the underlying mechanisms contributing to these cerebral alterations in PTSD.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, case-control study involving 49 PTSD patients and 38 trauma-exposed controls (TEC).
- Utilized 3.0T MRI with a gradient echo echo-planar imaging sequence.
- Employed connectome gradient analysis and graph theory to assess system segregation and participation coefficients (PC).
Main Results:
- PTSD patients exhibited significantly increased global gradient variance and altered network-level gradient indicators compared to TEC.
- Increased system segregation and reduced participation coefficients (PC) were observed in PTSD patients, correlating with gradient variance.
- Specific brain regions showed significant correlations between gradient scores and PTSD symptom severity (CAPS scores).
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates hierarchical disruptions across multiple brain networks in PTSD, using connectome gradient and graph theory analyses.
- These findings offer potential neurobiological explanations for PTSD symptoms such as hypervigilance and dissociation.
