title: Psychophysiological Reactivity in Child Sexual Abuse.
abstract: Sexual abuse has physiological and emotional implications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the neurobiological sequels of childhood sexual trauma by monitoring physiological variables among sexually abused girls and women compared to controls. We assessed posttrauma and traumatic life events of 35 females sexually abused in their childhood (age range 7-51 years) and 25 control females (age range 7-54 years). Electroencephalography, frontalis electromyography, electrodermal activity, and heart rate parameters were recorded while watching sets of pictures representing neutral and trauma-suggestive stimuli. A minority of participants met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. Abused females displayed significant elevations in heart rate, electromyography, and electroencephalography while viewing allusive stimuli and elevated heart rate while viewing neutral stimuli. The dysfunctional regulation of the physiological stress system associated with child sexual abuse may endanger the victims with various stress and anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: a Tel Aviv Brull Community Mental Health Center , Clalit Health Services , Tel Aviv , Israel.|b The Sackler Faculty of Medicine , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Galit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ben-Amitay
authors.affiliation: a Tel Aviv Brull Community Mental Health Center , Clalit Health Services , Tel Aviv , Israel.|c Cohen-Harris Resilience Center , the Association for Children at Risk , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kimchi
authors.affiliation: c Cohen-Harris Resilience Center , the Association for Children at Risk , Tel Aviv , Israel.|d Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology , Herzlyia Interdisciplinary Center , Herzliya , Israel.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolmer
authors.affiliation: a Tel Aviv Brull Community Mental Health Center , Clalit Health Services , Tel Aviv , Israel.|b The Sackler Faculty of Medicine , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Paz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Electrodermal activity; electroencephalography; electromyography; heart rate; post-traumatic stress disorder