title: Impaired allocentric spatial processing in posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: A neurobiological dual representation model of PTSD proposes that reduced hippocampus-dependent contextual processing contributes to intrusive imagery due to a loss of control over hippocampus-independent sensory and affective representations. We investigated whether PTSD sufferers show impaired allocentric spatial processing indicative of reduced hippocampal functioning. Trauma-exposed individuals with (N=29) and without (N=30) a diagnosis of PTSD completed two tests of spatial processing: a topographical recognition task comprising perceptual and memory components, and a test of memory for objects' locations within a virtual environment in which the test is from either the same viewpoint as presentation (solvable with egocentric memory) or a different viewpoint (requiring allocentric memory). Participants in the PTSD group performed significantly worse on allocentric spatial processing than trauma-exposed controls. Groups performed comparably on egocentric memory and non-spatial memory for lists of objects. Exposure to repeated incident trauma was also associated with significantly worse spatial processing in the PTSD group. Results show a selective impairment in allocentric spatial processing, implicating weak hippocampal functioning, as predicted by a neurobiological dual representation model of PTSD. These findings have important clinical implications for cognitive therapy.
authors: Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Kirsten.smith@psy.ox.ac.uk.
authors: Kirsten V
authors: KV
authors: Smith
authors: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute of Neurology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Burgess
authors: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Chris R
authors: CR
authors: Brewin
authors: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute of Neurology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom; Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: King
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013028:Space Perception; D065852:Spatial Memory; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Allocentric memory; Hippocampus; PTSD; Spatial memory; Trauma
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