Abstract
Background: Volumetric imaging research has shown abnormal brain morphology in adults
with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when compared with matched control subjects.
In this article, we present brain imaging findings from a study of children with PTSD
symptoms.
Methods: Twenty-four children between the ages of 7 and 14 with a history of trauma
and PTSD symptoms were assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Children
and Adolescents (CAPS-CA). The sample underwent magnetic resonance imaging in a 1.5
T scanner. Brain images were analyzed by raters blind to diagnostic status using well-standardized
methods, and images were compared with age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects.
Results: The clinical group demonstrated attenuation of frontal lobe asymmetry and
smaller total brain and cerebral volumes when compared with the control group. There
were no statistically significant differences in hippocampal volume between clinical
and control subjects.
Conclusions: Frontal lobe abnormalities may occur as a result of PTSD in children
or, alternatively, be a risk factor for the development of the syndrome in this age
group. The implications of the findings and their consistency with previous research
are discussed.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 8,
2001
Received in revised form:
June 6,
2001
Received:
February 26,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
