title: Anatomical deficits in adult posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies.
abstract: Evidence from previous anatomical studies indicate that widespread brain regions are involved in the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of the present study was to quantitatively integrate the literature on structural abnormalities seen on individuals with PTSD. Twenty voxel-based analysis studies were analysed through a comprehensive series of meta-analyses. Compared with healthy controls, PTSD patients showed a significant reduction in grey matter (GM) in the left anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC) at the whole-brain level. Several brain regions, including the left ACC, the left insula and the right parahippocampal gyrus were significantly smaller in individuals with PTSD than in trauma-exposed healthy subjects. Furthermore, the clinician-administered PTSD scale scores were negatively correlated with GM in the left ACC and positively correlated with GM in the left insula. In addition, PTSD patients who experienced accidental or non-accidental trauma had anatomical changes in different brain regions. These results suggest that the smaller ACC and insular cortex within the limbic-prefrontal circuit contribute to the pathogenesis of PTSD. Moreover, the PTSD patients with different types of trauma may have different cerebral deficits.
authors.affiliation: West China Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Yajing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: West China Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Changjian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: West China Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Hongru
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Sunima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lama
authors.affiliation: Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: lusuwcums@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Qiyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: West China Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Electronic address: weizhanghx@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); Disaster type; Insular cortex; Meta-analyses; Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Voxel-based morphometry (VBM)