TY - JOUR
T1 - Decreased N-acetyl-aspartate levels in anterior cingulate and hippocampus in subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder
T2 - A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
AU - Ham, Byung Joo
AU - Chey, Jeanyung
AU - Yoon, Sujung J.
AU - Sung, Younghoon
AU - Jeong, Do Un
AU - Ju Kim, Seog
AU - Sim, Minyoung E.
AU - Choi, Namhee
AU - Choi, Ihn Geun
AU - Renshaw, Perry F.
AU - Lyoo, In Kyoon
PY - 2007/1
Y1 - 2007/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Anterior cingulate cortex
KW - Hippocampus
KW - Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
KW - Post-traumatic stress disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33846202885&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05253.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05253.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 17241294
AN - SCOPUS:33846202885
SN - 0953-816X
VL - 25
SP - 324
EP - 329
JO - European Journal of Neuroscience
JF - European Journal of Neuroscience
IS - 1
ER -