title: Alexithymia in PTSD: psychometric and FMRI studies.
abstract: Two studies examined correlates of alexithymia in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In study 1 (n = 77 individuals with PTSD and 45 controls) Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) scores were positively correlated with PTSD symptoms, dissociation, and childhood abuse and neglect. In study 2, TAS-20 scores were examined as correlates of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to trauma script imagery. In 16 controls, TAS-20 scores correlated positively with response in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and negatively with response in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and thalamus. In 26 individuals with PTSD, TAS-20 scores correlated positively with response in insula, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and thalamus, and negatively with response in ACC.
authors.affiliation: London Health Sciences Centre, 339 Windermere Road, PO Box 5339, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5A5.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Frewen
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pain
authors.forename: David J A
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Dozois
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lanius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen