Hongru Zhu1, Changjian Qiu2, Yajing Meng1, Haofei Cui2, Yan Zhang2, Xiaoqi Huang3, Junran Zhang4, Tao Li1, Qiyong Gong3, Wei Zhang5, Su Lui6. 1. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China. 2. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. 3. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. 4. School of Electrical Engineering and Information, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan Province, China. 5. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China. Electronic address: weizhang27@163.com. 6. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Radiology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027 China. Electronic address: lusuwcums@hotmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Abnormal functional brain activity has been revealed in patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in recent years, while the recovery neuromechanism of PTSD has not yet been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the altered spontaneous brain activity in treatment-naïve chronic PTSD patients before and after 12 weeks׳ treatment with paroxetine. METHODS: Twenty-one earthquake-related PTSD patients and seventeen traumatized controls underwent a resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI) scan at baseline. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated and compared between PTSD patients and controls. Then, the PTSD group completed 12 weeks of treatment with paroxetine, and Rs-fMRI was repeated to compare with the baseline. Lastly, correlation analyses of ALFF values within altered brain areas were conducted. RESULTS: Hyperactive function of visual cortex was observed in PTSD patients before and after treatment. After treatment, significantly increased ALFF values were observed in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), while decreased ALFF values were found in the precuneus. Interestingly, a negative correlation between the mean ALFF values of OFC and those of precuneus and visual cortex was only observed in controls, but not in PTSD patients pre- or post-treatment. LIMITATIONS: A corresponding control condition was absent in this study. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that manipulating regional spontaneous activity of precuneus and OFC could be a potential prognostic indicator of PTSD. However, hyperactive function of visual cortex and disrupted connections between OFC, precuneus and visual cortex did not reverse after treatment, which could be a potential target for further treatment.
BACKGROUND:Abnormal functional brain activity has been revealed in patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in recent years, while the recovery neuromechanism of PTSD has not yet been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the altered spontaneous brain activity in treatment-naïve chronic PTSDpatients before and after 12 weeks׳ treatment with paroxetine. METHODS: Twenty-one earthquake-related PTSDpatients and seventeen traumatized controls underwent a resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI) scan at baseline. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated and compared between PTSDpatients and controls. Then, the PTSD group completed 12 weeks of treatment with paroxetine, and Rs-fMRI was repeated to compare with the baseline. Lastly, correlation analyses of ALFF values within altered brain areas were conducted. RESULTS:Hyperactive function of visual cortex was observed in PTSDpatients before and after treatment. After treatment, significantly increased ALFF values were observed in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), while decreased ALFF values were found in the precuneus. Interestingly, a negative correlation between the mean ALFF values of OFC and those of precuneus and visual cortex was only observed in controls, but not in PTSDpatients pre- or post-treatment. LIMITATIONS: A corresponding control condition was absent in this study. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that manipulating regional spontaneous activity of precuneus and OFC could be a potential prognostic indicator of PTSD. However, hyperactive function of visual cortex and disrupted connections between OFC, precuneus and visual cortex did not reverse after treatment, which could be a potential target for further treatment.