Hippocampal subfield volume alteration in post-traumatic stress disorder: a magnetic resonance imaging study_Journal of Biomedical Engineering

Authors：

LU Lu ¹ , ZHANG Lianqing ¹ , HU Xinyu ¹ , HU Xiaoxiao ¹ , LI Lingjiang ² , GONG Qiyong ¹ ,  HUANG Xiaoqi ¹

1. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Radiology Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P.R.China;
2. Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, P.R.China;

Corresponding author：

HUANG Xiaoqi, Email: julianahuang@163.com

Keywords：

magnetic resonance imaging; post-traumatic stress disorder; hippocampus

DOI：

10.7507/1001-5515.201707056

Video：

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In the current study, we aim to investigate whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with structural alterations in specific subfields of hippocampus comparing with trauma-exposed control (TC) in a relatively large sample. We included 67 PTSD patients who were diagnosed under Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Edition) (DSM-Ⅳ) criteria and 78 age- and sex-matched non-PTSD adult survivors who experienced similar stressors. High resolution T1 weighted images were obtained via a GE 3.0 T scanner. The structural data was automatically segmented using FreeSurfer software, and volume of whole hippocampus and subfield including CA1, CA2-3, CA4-DG, fimbria, presubiculum, subiculum and fissure were extracted. Volume differences between the two groups were statistically compared with age, years of education, duration from the events and intracranial volume (ICV) as covariates. Hemisphere, sex and diagnosis were entered as fixed factors. Relationship between morphometric measurements with Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) score and illness duration were performed using Pearson’s correlation with SPSS. Comparing to TC, PTSD patients showed no statistically significant alteration in volumes of the whole hippocampus and all the subfields (P > 0.05). In male patients, there were significant correlations between CAPS score and volume of right CA2-3 ( R² = 0.197, P = 0.034), right subiculum (R² = 0.245, P = 0.016), and duration statistically correlated with right fissure (R² = 0.247, P = 0.016). In female patients, CAPS scores significant correlated with volume of left presubiculum (R² = 0.095, P = 0.042), left subiculum (R² = 0.090, P = 0.048), and left CA4-DG (R² = 0.099, P = 0.037). The main findings of the current study suggest that stress event causes non-selective damage to hippocampus in both PTSD patients and TC, and gender-specific lateralization may underlie PTSD pathology.

Citation： LU Lu, ZHANG Lianqing, HU Xinyu, HU Xiaoxiao, LI Lingjiang, GONG Qiyong, HUANG Xiaoqi. Hippocampal subfield volume alteration in post-traumatic stress disorder: a magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal of Biomedical Engineering, 2018, 35(2): 252-257. doi: 10.7507/1001-5515.201707056 Copy

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2.	Li Lei, Wu Min, Liao Yi, et al. Grey matter reduction associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2014, 43: 163-172.
3.	Admon R, Milad M R, Hendler T. A causal model of post-traumatic stress disorder: disentangling predisposed from acquired neural abnormalities. Trends Cogn Sci, 2013, 17(7): 337-347.
4.	Goshen I. The optogenetic revolution in memory research. Trends Neurosci, 2014, 37(9): 511-522.
5.	Chen Yunchun, Fu Kuang, Feng Chen, et al. Different regional gray matter loss in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure. PLoS One, 2012, 7(11): e48298.
6.	Nardo D, Högberg G, Looi J C, et al. Gray matter density in limbic and paralimbic cortices is associated with trauma load and EMDR outcome in PTSD patients. J Psychiatr Res, 2010, 44(7): 477-485.
7.	Bonne O, Brandes D, Gilboa A, et al. Longitudinal MRI study of hippocampal volume in trauma survivors with PTSD. Am J Psychiatry, 2001, 158(8): 1248-1251.
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11.	Iglesias J E, Augustinack J C, Nguyen K, et al. A computational atlas of the hippocampal formation using ex vivo, ultra-high resolution MRI: Application to adaptive segmentation of in vivo MRI. NeuroImage, 2015, 115: 117-137.
12.	王芳芳, 梁雪, 刘任远, 等. 年轻人海马亚区体积与空间导航的相关性研究. 中国 CT 和 MRI 杂志, 2017, 15(5): 1-4.
13.	Cao B, Passos I C, Mwangi B, et al. Hippocampal subfield volumes in mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry, 2017, 22(9): 1352-1358.
14.	Haukvik U K, Westlye L T, Morch-Johnsen L A, et al. In vivo hippocampal subfield volumes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry, 2015, 77(6): 581-588.
15.	刘任远. 遗忘型认知障碍患者嗅觉功能障碍与海马结构改变的研究. 南京: 南京大学, 2016.
16.	Zhao Hongzeng, Wang Changhong, Gao Zhongzhan, et al. Effectiveness of cognitive-coping therapy and alteration of resting-state brain function in obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Affect Disord, 2017, 208: 184-190.
17.	Kim E J, Pellman B, Kim J J. Stress effects on the hippocampus: a critical review. Learn Mem, 2015, 22(9): 411-416.
18.	Herve P Y, Zago L, Petit L, et al. Revisiting human hemispheric specialization with neuroimaging. Trends Cogn Sci, 2013, 17(2): 69-80.
19.	Hall T, Galletly C, Clark C R, et al. The relationship between Hippocampal asymmetry and working memory processing in combat-related PTSD—a monozygotic twin study. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord, 2012, 2: 21.
20.	Sarac-Hadzhalilovic A, Dilberovic F. Detection of the hippocampal formation asymmetry in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 2007, 7(2): 162-165.
21.	Woon F, Hedges D W. Gender does not moderate hippocampal volume deficits in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis. Hippocampus, 2011, 21(3): 243-252.

1. Pitman R K, Rasmusson A M, Koenen K C, et al. Biological studies of post-traumatic stress disorder. Nat Rev Neurosci, 2012, 13(11): 769-787.
2. Li Lei, Wu Min, Liao Yi, et al. Grey matter reduction associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2014, 43: 163-172.
3. Admon R, Milad M R, Hendler T. A causal model of post-traumatic stress disorder: disentangling predisposed from acquired neural abnormalities. Trends Cogn Sci, 2013, 17(7): 337-347.
4. Goshen I. The optogenetic revolution in memory research. Trends Neurosci, 2014, 37(9): 511-522.
5. Chen Yunchun, Fu Kuang, Feng Chen, et al. Different regional gray matter loss in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure. PLoS One, 2012, 7(11): e48298.
6. Nardo D, Högberg G, Looi J C, et al. Gray matter density in limbic and paralimbic cortices is associated with trauma load and EMDR outcome in PTSD patients. J Psychiatr Res, 2010, 44(7): 477-485.
7. Bonne O, Brandes D, Gilboa A, et al. Longitudinal MRI study of hippocampal volume in trauma survivors with PTSD. Am J Psychiatry, 2001, 158(8): 1248-1251.
8. Small S A, Schobel S A, Buxton R B, et al. A pathophysiological framework of hippocampal dysfunction in ageing and disease. Nat Rev Neurosci, 2011, 12(10): 585-601.
9. Izquierdo I, Furini C R, Myskiw J C. Fear memory. Physiol Rev, 2016, 96(2): 695-750.
10. Wang Zhen, Neylan T C, Mueller S G, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of hippocampal subfields in posttraumatic stress disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010, 67(3): 296-303.
11. Iglesias J E, Augustinack J C, Nguyen K, et al. A computational atlas of the hippocampal formation using ex vivo, ultra-high resolution MRI: Application to adaptive segmentation of in vivo MRI. NeuroImage, 2015, 115: 117-137.
12. 王芳芳, 梁雪, 刘任远, 等. 年轻人海马亚区体积与空间导航的相关性研究. 中国 CT 和 MRI 杂志, 2017, 15(5): 1-4.
13. Cao B, Passos I C, Mwangi B, et al. Hippocampal subfield volumes in mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry, 2017, 22(9): 1352-1358.
14. Haukvik U K, Westlye L T, Morch-Johnsen L A, et al. In vivo hippocampal subfield volumes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry, 2015, 77(6): 581-588.
15. 刘任远. 遗忘型认知障碍患者嗅觉功能障碍与海马结构改变的研究. 南京: 南京大学, 2016.
16. Zhao Hongzeng, Wang Changhong, Gao Zhongzhan, et al. Effectiveness of cognitive-coping therapy and alteration of resting-state brain function in obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Affect Disord, 2017, 208: 184-190.
17. Kim E J, Pellman B, Kim J J. Stress effects on the hippocampus: a critical review. Learn Mem, 2015, 22(9): 411-416.
18. Herve P Y, Zago L, Petit L, et al. Revisiting human hemispheric specialization with neuroimaging. Trends Cogn Sci, 2013, 17(2): 69-80.
19. Hall T, Galletly C, Clark C R, et al. The relationship between Hippocampal asymmetry and working memory processing in combat-related PTSD—a monozygotic twin study. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord, 2012, 2: 21.
20. Sarac-Hadzhalilovic A, Dilberovic F. Detection of the hippocampal formation asymmetry in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 2007, 7(2): 162-165.
21. Woon F, Hedges D W. Gender does not moderate hippocampal volume deficits in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis. Hippocampus, 2011, 21(3): 243-252.

Journal of Biomedical Engineering

Hippocampal subfield volume alteration in post-traumatic stress disorder: a magnetic resonance imaging study

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