Neuroimaging correlates of anxiety after pediatric traumatic brain injury.
BACKGROUND
Anxiety disorders are common after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Data on the neural correlates of these conditions are lacking. This study examines the relationship between brain damage, particularly to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and temporal lobe, and anxiety symptoms and disorders.


METHODS
Ninety-five children and adolescents were followed for one year postinjury. Preinjury and one-year postinjury anxiety status were obtained from the parent. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed to evaluate brain lesions. The primary analysis used regression models to determine relationships between brain lesions and anxiety outcomes. As a secondary analysis, previously reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) data were reanalyzed using similar methods for purposes of comparison.


RESULTS
The primary analysis showed that greater volume and number of OFC lesions correlated with decreased risk for anxiety, whereas lesions in other brain areas did not correlate with anxiety. Consistent with prior data, the secondary analysis showed an inverse correlation between OFC damage and PTSD; temporal lobe damage was positively correlated with PTSD.


CONCLUSIONS
After pediatric TBI, greater damage to the OFC is associated with decreased risk for anxiety outcomes. Similar to adult data, these findings implicate OFC dysfunction in childhood anxiety. Temporal lobe damage did not correlate with anxiety, in contrast to the findings for PTSD.
Vasa
Roma A
RA
Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Grados
Marco
M
Slomine
Beth
B
Herskovits
Edward H
EH
Thompson
Richard E
RE
Salorio
Cynthia
C
Christensen
James
J
Wursta
Cynthia
C
Riddle
Mark A
MA
Gerring
Joan P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology