title: Resting electroencephalogram asymmetry and posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: The valence-arousal (W. Heller, 1993) and approach-withdrawal (R. J. Davidson, 1998a) models hypothesize that particular patterns of hemispheric brain activity are associated with specific motivational tendencies and psychopathologies. We tested several of these predictions in two groups-a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a "supercontrol" group, selected to be maximally different from those with PTSD. Contrary to almost all hypotheses, individuals with PTSD did not differ from controls on resting electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry. Particular aspects of PTSD were also not related to EEG hemisphere differences. Our null findings are consistent with the few studies that have examined resting EEG asymmetries in PTSD and suggest that PTSD may be associated with different processes than psychopathologies previously examined in studies of hemispheric brain activity (e.g., major depressive disorder, panic disorder).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA. stewarts@uic.edu
authors.forename: Stewart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shankman
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: Leanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Kim L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Felmingham
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: C Richard
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D035061:Control Groups; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008959:Models, Neurological; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology