Depue B E, Olson-Madden J H, Smolker H R, Rajamani M, Brenner L A, Banich M T
Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
VISN 19 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO 80220, USA ; University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:691505. doi: 10.1155/2014/691505. Epub 2014 Mar 3.
A significant portion of previously deployed combat Veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) are affected by comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Despite this fact, neuroimaging studies investigating the neural correlates of cognitive dysfunction within this population are almost nonexistent, with the exception of research examining the neural correlates of diagnostic PTSD or TBI. The current study used both voxel-based and surface-based morphometry to determine whether comorbid PTSD/mTBI is characterized by altered brain structure in the same regions as observed in singular diagnostic PTSD or TBI. Furthermore, we assessed whether alterations in brain structures in these regions were associated with behavioral measures related to inhibitory control, as assessed by the Go/No-go task, self-reports of impulsivity, and/or PTSD or mTBI symptoms. Results indicate volumetric reductions in the bilateral anterior amygdala in our comorbid PTSD/mTBI sample as compared to a control sample of OEF/OIF Veterans with no history of mTBI and/or PTSD. Moreover, increased volume reduction in the amygdala predicted poorer inhibitory control as measured by performance on the Go/No-go task, increased self-reported impulsivity, and greater symptoms associated with PTSD. These findings suggest that alterations in brain anatomy in OEF/OIF/OND Veterans with comorbid PTSD/mTBI are associated with both cognitive deficits and trauma symptoms related to PTSD.
先前从持久自由行动以及伊拉克自由行动/新黎明行动（OEF/OIF/OND）中退伍的大量参战老兵同时受到创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和轻度创伤性脑损伤（mTBI）的影响。尽管如此，除了研究PTSD或TBI诊断的神经关联的研究外，几乎不存在针对该人群认知功能障碍的神经影像学研究。本研究使用基于体素和基于表面的形态测量法，以确定共病的PTSD/mTBI是否具有与单一诊断的PTSD或TBI中观察到的相同区域的脑结构改变特征。此外，我们评估了这些区域的脑结构改变是否与通过Go/No-go任务评估的抑制控制、冲动性自我报告和/或PTSD或mTBI症状相关的行为测量有关。结果表明，与没有mTBI和/或PTSD病史的OEF/OIF退伍军人对照样本相比，我们的共病PTSD/mTBI样本中双侧前杏仁核体积减小。此外，杏仁核体积减小增加预示着通过Go/No-go任务表现测量的抑制控制较差、自我报告的冲动性增加以及与PTSD相关的症状更严重。这些发现表明，患有共病PTSD/mTBI的OEF/OIF/OND退伍军人的脑解剖结构改变与认知缺陷以及与PTSD相关的创伤症状有关。
