title: Morphovolumetric changes after EMDR treatment in drug-naïve PTSD patients.
abstract: Few studies have investigated the effects of efficacious psychotherapy on structural alterations of discrete brain regions associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We therefore proposed to evaluate the neurobiological effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on 19 patients with drug-naïve PTSD without comorbidity, matched with 19 untreated healthy controls.
  
  
  
  We administered the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and conducted brain MRI measurements (with Optimized Voxel-Based Morphometry). Patients received 12 EMDR sessions over three months. Then patients and controls were reassessed.
  
  
  
  At baseline, grey matter volume (GMV) differed significantly between patients and controls (F 1,35 =3.674; p=.008; η 2=.298). Analyses of 3-month scans showed no changes for controls, while significant changes were highlighted for patients post-EMDR, with a significant increase in GMV in left parahippocampal gyrus, and a significant decrease in GMV in the left thalamus region. The diagnosis of PTSD was effectively eliminated in 16 of 19 patients, reflected in a significant improvement on the CAPS (t(35)=2.132, p<.004).
  
  
  
  Results indicated post-EMDR changes for patients in brain morphology. We discuss whether EMDR’s mechanism of action may work at the level of the thalamus, an area implicated in PTSD pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bossini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santarnecchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casolaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Despoina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koukouna
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caterini
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cecchini
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fortini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Development, Psychiatry Section, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagiolini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020534:Parahippocampal Gyrus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome