Neuroscience 2000 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 206.10 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse on hippocampal structure and function measured with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. |
| Authors: |
Bremner, J. D.*1
; Narayan, M.1
; Vermetten, E.1
; Southwick, S. M.1
; McGlashan, T.1
; Staib, L. H.1
; Garg, P.1
; Ng, C. K.1
; Vaccarino, L. V.1
; Duncan, J. S.1
; Charney, D. S.1
1Diagnostic Radiology & Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
I. Neural Basis of Behavior - 116. Stress |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | J. Disorders of the Nervous System and Aging<br />- 140. Neuropsychiatric disorders |
| Session: |
206. Stress Slide |
| Presentation Time: | Monday, November 6, 2000 10:15 AM-10:30 AM |
| Location: | Room 287 |
| Keywords: | Memory, Stress, Women, Anxiety |
Childhood sexual abuse is a major public health problem, however little is known about the effects of abuse on brain structure or function. Animal studies have shown that stressors similar to childhood abuse result in damage to the hippocampus, a brain area involved in learning and memory, and our group and others have reported smaller hippocampal volume measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and deficits in hippocampal-based verbal declarative memory (recall of a paragraph) in patients with abuse-related PTSD. The purpose of this study was to compare hippocampal volume measured with MRI and hippocampal function during declarative memory tasks (encoding of a paragraph) measured with positron emission tomography (PET), in 33 women, including women with early childhood sexual abuse and PTSD, women with early abuse without PTSD, and women without early abuse or PTSD. A failure of left hippocampal activation during memory tasks was seen in PTSD relative to abused non-PTSD women (F=14.94; df=1,20; p<.001). PTSD women had a16% smaller volume of the hippocampus (seen on both left and right) compared to women with abuse without PTSD, and a 19% smaller hippocampal volume relative to women without abuse or PTSD (F=4.96; df=2,29; p=0.01). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that early abuse with associated PTSD results in deficits in hippocampal function and structure, possibly through damage to hippocampal neurons.
Supported by NIMH 1R01MH56120-02; VA Career Development Award; Natl Center PTSD; NIMH CAP Award
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2000 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2000. Online.
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