Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2013, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (26): 2405-2414.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.26.001

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Brain structure in post-traumatic stress disorder A voxel-based morphometry analysis

Liwen Tan1, Li Zhang1, Rongfeng Qi2, Guangming Lu2, Lingjiang Li1, Jun Liu3, 4, Weihui Li1   

  1. 1 Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China

    2 Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Clinical School of Medical College, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China

    3 Department of Radiology, the Second Xiangya Hosipital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China

    4 School of Public Administration, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
  • Received:2013-06-04 Revised:2013-08-03 Online:2013-09-15 Published:2013-09-15
  • Contact: Weihui Li, M.D., Attending physician, Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China, weihui_li@163.com.
  • About author:Liwen Tan, M.D., Associate professor. Liwen Tan and Li Zhang contributed equally to this work.
  • Supported by:

    Key Program for Guangming Lu, No. BWS11J063 and No.10z026.

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Abstract:

This study compared the difference in brain structure in 12 mine disaster survivors with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, 7 cases of improved post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and 14 controls who experienced the same mine disaster but did not suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, us-ing the voxel-based morphometry method. The correlation between differences in brain structure and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms was also investigated. Results showed that the gray matter volume was the highest in the trauma control group, followed by the symptoms-improved group, and the lowest in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group. Compared with the symptoms-improved group, the gray matter volume in the lingual gyrus of the right occipital lobe was reduced in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group. Compared with the trauma control group, the gray matter volume in the right middle occipital gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus was reduced in the symptoms-improved group. Compared with the trauma control group, the gray matter volume in the left superior parietal lobule and right superior frontal gyrus was reduced in the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group. The gray matter volume in the left superior parietal lobule was significantly positively correlated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory subscale score in the symptoms-improved group and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder group (r = 0.477, P = 0.039). Our findings indicate that (1) chronic post-traumatic stress disorder patients have gray matter structural damage in the prefrontal lobe, occip-ital lobe, and parietal lobe, (2) after post-traumatic stress, the disorder symptoms are improved and gray matter structural damage is reduced, but cannot recover to the trauma-control level, and (3) the superior parietal lobule is possibly associated with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder patients exhibit gray matter abnormalities.

Key words: neural regeneration, neuroimaging, MRI, post-traumatic stress disorder, voxel-based morphometry, pre-frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, follow-ups, grants-supported paper, neuroregeneration