The Cortical Thickness Changes In PTSD Using Surface-base Method By Freesufer

Background: A variety of structural abnormalities have been described in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but only a few study reported cortical thicknessalterations. The goal of this study was to measure the cortical thickness in traumasurvivors with and without recent onset PTSD after a single prolonged traumaexposure, to explore cortical thickness alterations associated with severe stressand recent onset PTSD and the correlation of cortical thickness with PTSDsymptom severity.Methods: High resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) wereobtained6months after trauma, from coal mine flood disaster survivorswith(n=15) and without(n=10) recent onset PTSD and25normal controls.Cortical thickness was compared between the groups in global across thecontinuous cortical surface by surface-based morphometry. The average corticalthickness of the region with significant changes was calculated to do region ofinterest (ROI) analysis.Results: In recent onset PTSD, as well as trauma survivors without PTSD,widespread cortical thickness reduction relative to normal controls were found in bilateral inferior and superior parietal lobes, frontal lobes, hippocampus, anteriorcingulate cortex (ACC) and posterior cingulate cortex(PCC), and right lateraloccipital lobes, increased cortical thickness was found in left calcarine cortex.The regions of cortical thickness reductions in PTSD are much larger than that innon PTSD as compared with normal controls. There is no significant corticalthickness difference between non PTSD and normal controls. In ROI analysis,compared with normal controls, Furthermore, in all trauma survivors, corticalthickness of ACC and PCC, superior frontal lobes, and hippocampus arenegatively correlated with CAPS scores, the cortical thickness of left calcarinecortex is positively correlated with CAPS scores.Conclusions: The present findings suggest widespread cortical thinning infronto-temporal networks presented at an early stage of PTSD. The corticalthickness of limbic region predicated the PTSD symptom severity. The presentstudy results provide evidence for early deficits and disruption of cerebral cortexassociate with PTSD and stress.