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| Research article summary (published 29 Apr 2003): |
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MRI and PET study of deficits in hippocampal structure and function in women with childhood sexual abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Full Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Animal studies have suggested that early stress is associated with alterations in the hippocampus, a brain area that plays a critical role in learning and memory. The purpose of this study was to measure both hippocampal structure and function in women with and without early childhood sexual abuse and the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
METHOD:
Thirty-three women participated in this study, including women with early childhood sexual abuse and PTSD (N=10), women with abuse without PTSD (N=12), and women without abuse or PTSD (N=11). Hippocampal volume was measured with magnetic resonance imaging in all subjects, and hippocampal function during the performance of hippocampal-based verbal declarative memory tasks was measured by using positron emission tomography in abused women with and without PTSD.
RESULTS:
A failure of hippocampal activation and 16% smaller volume of the hippocampus were seen in women with abuse and PTSD compared to women with abuse without PTSD. Women with abuse and PTSD had a 19% smaller hippocampal volume relative to women without abuse or PTSD.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results are consistent with deficits in hippocampal function and structure in abuse-related PTSD.
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Author information
Author/s: Bremner, J Douglas (JD); Vythilingam, Meena (M); Vermetten, Eric (E); Southwick, Steven M (SM); McGlashan, Thomas (T); Nazeer, Ahsan (A); Khan, Sarfraz (S); Vaccarino, L Viola (LV); Soufer, Robert (R); Garg, Pradeep K (PK); Ng, Chin K (CK); Staib, Lawrence H (LH); Duncan, James S (JS); Charney, Dennis S (DS);
Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Emory University School of Medicine, 1256 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA. jdbremn(-atsign-)emory.edu
Grants: 1R01 MH 56120-01A1 (Agency:United States NIMH) ; HL 059619-02 (Agency:United States NHLBI)
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Journal: The American journal of psychiatry (Am J Psychiatry), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2003-May; vol 160 (issue 5) : pp 924-32
Dates: Created 2003/05/02; Completed 2003/06/17; Revised 2007/11/14;
PMID: 12727697, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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