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Traumatic stress alters neural reactivity to visual stimulation
Nathaniel G Harnett1,2, Grace E Rowland2, E Kate Webb1,2
1Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA USA.
NPP - Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience
|May 26, 2025
Summary
Trauma exposure alters visual cortex function, impacting neural reactivity to visual stimuli. These changes in visual processing may relate to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Visual Processing
Background:
- Traumatic stress is a known precursor to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Emerging research implicates visual processing regions in PTSD development.
- Previous studies have not examined trauma exposure's effect on neural reactivity to non-affective visual stimuli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of recent trauma exposure on neural responses to basic visual stimulation.
- To explore the relationship between visual processing alterations and PTSD symptom development.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess brain activity in recently trauma-exposed (RTE) and non-trauma-exposed (NRTE) individuals.
- Participants viewed alternating blocks of flickering checkerboard stimuli and attention/rest conditions.
- PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline and 6 months post-trauma.
Main Results:
- RTE participants exhibited greater deactivation in the visual cortex compared to NRTE participants.
- NRTE participants showed increased neural reactivity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during visual stimulation, unlike RTE participants.
- Visual cortex to paracentral gyrus connectivity was higher during stimulation in NRTE but not RTE individuals.
- Neural reactivity to visual stimulation was negatively associated with PTSD symptoms in the RTE group.
Conclusions:
- Trauma exposure leads to acute changes in the neural function of basic visual processing.
- Variations in visual circuit function following trauma may influence the development and manifestation of PTSD symptoms.
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