title: Basal cerebral glucose distribution in long-term post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to study basal cerebral glucose absorption patterns associated to long-term post-traumatic stress disorder. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and statistic parametric mapping (SPM) were used to compare regional cerebral glucose absorption between 15 war veterans (Hispanic men, aged 39-41 (M = 39.5, SD = 0.84)) diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on DSM-IV criteria, and a matching control group of six asymptomatic veterans. This study was conducted 20 years after the traumatic events. PTSD patients presented relatively diminished activity (P<0.005) in: cingulate gyri, precuneus, insula, hippocampus; frontal, pre-frontal and post-central regions; lingual, calcarine, occipital medial and superior gyri, and verbal and paraverbal areas. Relativeley augmented activity (P<0.005) was observed in PTSD patients in: fusiform, temporal superior, medial, and inferior gyri; occipital medial, inferior and lingual gyri; precuneus, and cerebellum. The amygdala and the thalamus showed normal metabolic activity. Various brain regions that showed diminished activity (limbic, frontal and prefrontal cortex, multimodal parieto-occipital areas and verbal and paraverbal areas) have evolved lately, and sub-serve highly complex cognitive and behavioural functions. Metabolic activity patterns are comparable to those observed in personality disorders of the borderline type.
authors.affiliation: PROBIOL, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. mmolina@pro-mendoza.com
authors.forename: Mario Enrique
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isoardi
authors.forename: Marcela Nathalie
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bentolila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005947:Glucose