Oscillatory magnetic brain activity is related to dissociative symptoms and childhood adversities - A study in women with multiple trauma.
BACKGROUND
Individuals with trauma-related disorders are complex and heterogeneous; part of this complexity derives from additional psychopathology like dissociation as well as environmental adversities such as traumatic stress, experienced throughout the lifespan. Understanding the neurophysiological abnormalities in Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires a simultaneous consideration of these factors.


METHODS
Resting state magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings were obtained from 41 women with PTSD and comorbid depressive symptoms, and 16 healthy women. Oscillatory brain activity was extracted for five frequency bands and 11 source locations, and analyzed in relation to shutdown dissociation and adversity-related measures.


RESULTS
Dissociative symptoms were related to increased delta and lowered beta power. Adversity-related measures modulated theta and alpha oscillatory power (in particular childhood sexual abuse) and differed between patients and controls.


LIMITATIONS
Findings are based on women with comorbid depressive symptoms and therefore may not be applicable for men or groups with other clinical profiles. In respect to childhood adversities, we had no reliable source for the early infancy.


CONCLUSION
Trauma-related abnormalities in neural organization vary with both exposure to adversities as well as their potential to evoke ongoing shutdown responses.
['Schalinski|I|I|', 'Moran|J K|JK|', 'Elbert|T|T|', 'Reindl|V|V|', 'Wienbruch|C|C|']
D000328:Adult D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events D001921:Brain D015897:Comorbidity D003863:Depression D004213:Dissociative Disorders D005260:Female D006801:Humans D015225:Magnetoencephalography D008875:Middle Aged D009104:Multiple Trauma D011599:Psychopathology D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Dissociation Childhood adversities Trauma PTSD MEG spontaneous activity