title: Functional network topology associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans.
abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling disorder associated with resting state functional connectivity alterations. However, whether specific brain regions are altered in PTSD or whether the whole brain network organization differs remains unclear. PTSD can be treated with trauma-focused therapy, although only half of the patients recover after treatment. In order to better understand PTSD psychopathology our aim was to study resting state networks in PTSD before and after treatment. Resting state functional magnetic resonance images were obtained from veterans with PTSD (n = 50) and controls (combat and civilian controls; n = 54) to explore which network topology properties (degree and clustering coefficient) of which brain regions are associated with PTSD. Then, PTSD-associated brain regions were investigated before and after treatment. PTSD patients were subdivided in persistent (n = 22) and remitted PTSD patients (n = 17), and compared with combat controls (n = 22), who were also reassessed. Prior to treatment associations with PTSD were found for the degree of orbitofrontal, and temporoparietal brain regions, and for the clustering coefficient of the anterior cingulate cortex. No significant effects were found over the course of treatment. Our results are in line with previous resting state studies, showing resting state connectivity alterations in the salience network and default mode network in PTSD, and also highlight the importance of other brain regions. However, network metrics do not seem to change over the course of treatment. This study contributes to a better understanding of the psychopathology of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Research Centre - Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Lundlaan 1, 3584 EZ Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kennis
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Research Centre - Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Lundlaan 1, 3584 EZ Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1648 Pierce Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA.
authors.forename: S J H
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: van Rooij
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.affiliation: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; Research Centre - Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Lundlaan 1, 3584 EZ Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Geuze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D000069581:Exposure to Violence / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clustering coefficient; Degree; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Resting state; Trauma-focused therapy; Veterans