title: Exaggerated activation of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during cognitive interference: a monozygotic twin study of posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuroimaging studies have revealed functional abnormalities in the anterior cingulate cortex in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The goal of this study was to determine whether hyperresponsivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate in PTSD is an acquired characteristic or a familial risk factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a case-control twin design, the authors studied combat-exposed veterans with PTSD (N=12) and their identical combat-unexposed co-twins (N=12), as well as combat-exposed veterans without PTSD (N=14) and their identical combat-unexposed co-twins (N=14). Participants underwent functional MRI during completion of the Multi-Source Interference Task, which reliably activates the dorsal anterior cingulate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combat-exposed veterans with PTSD and their unexposed co-twins had significantly greater activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate and tended to have larger response time difference scores, as compared to combat-exposed veterans without PTSD and their co-twins. Dorsal anterior cingulate activation in the exposed twins was positively correlated with their PTSD symptom severity. Dorsal anterior cingulate activation in the unexposed twins was positively correlated with their combat-exposed co-twins' PTSD symptom severity, but not with depression or alcohol use severity in the combat-exposed co-twins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperresponsivity in the dorsal anterior cingulate appears to be a familial risk factor for the development of PTSD following psychological trauma.
authors: Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Mass., USA. lisa.shin@tufts.edu
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Shin
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Bush
authors: Mohammed R
authors: MR
authors: Milad
authors: Natasha B
authors: NB
authors: Lasko
authors: Kathryn Handwerger
authors: KH
authors: Brohawn
authors: Katherine C
authors: KC
authors: Hughes
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Macklin
authors: Andrea L
authors: AL
authors: Gold
authors: Rachel D
authors: RD
authors: Karpf
authors: Scott P
authors: SP
authors: Orr
authors: Scott L
authors: SL
authors: Rauch
authors: Roger K
authors: RK
authors: Pitman
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D047829:Vietnam Conflict