Abstract
Background: Reduced hippocampal volumes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients
are thought to reflect specific changes of this structure. Previous magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) studies have not consistently examined indices of overall brain atrophy,
therefore it cannot be completely ruled out that hippocampal changes are explained
by whole-brain atrophy. The purpose of this study was to assess hippocampal and whole-brain
volume in civilian PTSD.
Methods: Twelve subjects with PTSD and 10 control subjects underwent brain MRI. Hippocampal
volumes were visually quantified using a computerized volumetric program. Whole-brain
volumes were obtained with automated k-means-based segmentation.
Results: No differences were found in intracranial volumes (ICV). Subjects with PTSD
had higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/ICV ratios and lower white matter/ICV ratios,
consistent with generalized white matter (WM) atrophy. The effect of age on CSF/ICV
was more pronounced in the PTSD group. Subjects with PTSD had smaller absolute and
normalized bilateral hippocampal volumes. These differences persisted after adjusting
for lifetime weeks of alcohol intoxication. Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression
scores correlated negatively with left hippocampal volume, but PTSD scores were a
better predictor of hippocampal volumes.
Conclusions: Our results replicate previous findings of reduced hippocampal volume
in PTSD but also suggest independent, generalized, white matter atrophy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 11,
2002
Received in revised form:
February 1,
2002
Received:
October 25,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
