Decreased N-acetyl-aspartate levels in anterior cingulate and hippocampus in subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

Byung Joo Ham, Jeanyung Chey, Sujung J. Yoon, Younghoon Sung, Do Un Jeong, Seog Ju Kim, Minyoung E. Sim, Namhee Choi, Ihn Geun Choi, Perry F. Renshaw, In Kyoon Lyoo

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46 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in the brain and its relationship with clinical characteristics in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed in order to measure NAA concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral hippocampus in 26 subjects with fire-related PTSD, who were survivors of a subway fire in South Korea, and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy comparison subjects. There were decreased NAA levels in the ACC (t = -3.88, d.f. = 49, P < 0.001) and bilateral hippocampus (right, t = -3.88, d.f. = 49, P < 0.001; left, t = -3.62, d.f. = 49, P < 0.001) in the PTSD group relative to the healthy comparison group. Also, NAA levels of the ACC (r = -0.43, n = 26, P = 0.027) and bilateral hippocampus (right, r = -0.48, n = 26, P = 0.013; left, r = -0.40, n = 26, P = 0.04) were negatively correlated with re-experience symptom scores in subjects with PTSD. In conclusion, our findings suggest that subjects with PTSD had decreased neuronal viabilities in the ACC and bilateral hippocampus, and that these deficits may play an important role in the pathophysiology of PTSD, especially regarding the re-experiencing of traumatic events.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)324-329
Number of pages6
JournalEuropean Journal of Neuroscience
Volume25
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2007

Keywords

  • Anterior cingulate cortex
  • Hippocampus
  • Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

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