Lei Li, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Xueling Suo, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Du Lei, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Fuqin Chen, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Qiyong Gong, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Although previous studies have identified deficits in the gray matter volume of adult patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the research in pediatric PTSD is limited. Furthermore, the cortical thickness, as a more sensitive measurement of morphological alteration than volume, has seldom been investigated in PTSD patients. The aim of this study was to explore cortical thickness in pediatric patients with PTSD and investigate the brain structural network abnormalities revealed by cortical thickness between the regions.

We recruited subjects 8-15 months after a severe earthquake in western China, including 28 children patients with PTSD and 26 matched controls. By using the FreeSurfer, cortical thicknesses were compared between patients and controls with the threshold of P <0.01 at voxel level. The average thickness within each region in each individual was calculated, and tested for correlation with symptom severity as measured by clinician-administered PTSD scale (CAPS). The relationships between cortical thicknesses among brain regions with significant group differences were examined using an analysis of covariance.

Compared with controls, patients exhibited significantly reduced cortical thickness, primarily in the bilateral parietal cortex, bilateral dosolateral frontal cortex and right middle temporal cortex. Moreover, significant cortical thickening was found in the left middle temporal cortex and right insula. The correlation analysis showed that the PTSD patients differed from controls in the network pattern of structural correlations between the cortical thicknesses in frontal, pariental and temporal cortex. In addition, in PTSD patients, the cortical thickness in the inferior frontal gyrus also positively correlated with CAPS scores (r=0.42; p<0.05).

Our findings demonstrate not only regional cortical thickness changes but an altered network pattern of interregional correlations of structural abnormalities in pediatric PTSD patients. Our study provides further insight into the supra-regional brain anatomical network in PTSD.

Reduced cortical thickness in pediatric PTSD is a promising biomarker, and altered structural network may help us better understand the dysfunctional networks in posttraumatic symptoms.

Li, L, Suo, X, Lei, D, Chen, F, Gong, Q, Brain Structural Network Abnormality in Pediatric Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Revealed by Cortical Thickness.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14045753.html