Multimodal MRI Assessment of Thalamic Structural Changes in Earthquake Survivors

Bruno, Federico; Splendiani, Alessandra; Tommasino, Emanuele; Conson, Massimiliano; Quarantelli, Mario; Saporito, Gennaro; Carolei, Antonio; Sacco, Simona; Cesare, Ernesto Di; Barile, Antonio; Masciocchi, Carlo; Pistoia, Francesca

doi:10.3390/diagnostics11010070

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…Despite multiple strands of evidence that traumatic events can affect the structure and function of the thalamus, this region is rarely included as an ROI in a priori studies of CA. After traumatic events in adulthood, structural and functional changes have been observed in the thalamus [ 28 – 30 ]. Thalamic structural deviations after CA have also been observed [ 31 , 32 ], and CT has been associated with functional hyperconnectivity of the thalamus in a transdiagnostic sample [ 33 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Madden

Atkinson²,

Shen³

et al. 2023

Eur. Psychiatr.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Madden

Atkinson²,

Shen³

et al. 2023

Eur. Psychiatr.

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show abstract

“…Despite multiple strands of evidence that traumatic events can affect the structure and function of the thalamus, this region is rarely included as an ROI in a priori studies of CA. After traumatic events in adulthood, structural and functional changes have been observed in the thalamus (28-30). Thalamic structural deviations after CA have also been observed (31, 32), and childhood trauma has been associated with functional hyperconnectivity of the thalamus in a transdiagnostic sample (33).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Madden

Atkinson

Shen

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Introduction: Childhood trauma and adversity are common across societies and have strong associations with physical and psychiatric morbidity throughout the life-course. One mechanism through which childhood trauma may predispose individuals to poor psychiatric outcomes, such as raised risk of lifetime depression, could be via associations with brain structure. This study aimed to elucidate the associations between childhood trauma scores and brain structure across two large, independent community cohorts. Methods: The two samples comprised (i) a subsample of individuals from Generation Scotland with imaging and in-depth phenotyping, including the CTQ-28 (n=1,024); and (ii) individuals from UK Biobank with imaging and a modified summary CTQ measure (n=27,202). This comprised n=28,226 for mega-analysis. Scans were processed using FreeSurfer image processing software, providing cortical and subcortical as well as global brain metrics. Regression models were used to determine associations between these metrics and childhood trauma measures. Associations between childhood trauma measures and psychiatric phenotypes were also explored. Results: Childhood trauma measures associated with lifetime risk of depression diagnosis with similar ORs across cohorts (OR 1.06, 1.23 GS and UKB respectively), which also related to earlier onset and more recurrent course within both samples. There was also evidence for associations between childhood trauma measures and a range of brain structures. Replicated findings included reduced global brain volumes, reduced cortical surface area but not thickness, with highest effects at mega-analysis seen in the frontal (β=-0.0385, SE=0.0048, p(FDR)=5.43x10-15) and parietal lobes (β=-0.0387, SE=0.005, p(FDR)=1.56x10-14). At a regional level, one subcortical regional volume in particular – the ventral diencephalon (VDc) – displayed significant associations with childhood trauma measures across the two cohorts and at mega-analysis (β=-0.0232, SE=0.0039, p(FDR)=2.91x10-8). There was also evidence for associations with reduced hippocampus, thalamus, and nucleus accumbens volumes, however these were not as consistent across cohorts. Discussion: There was strong evidence for associations between childhood trauma and reduced global and regional brain volumes across cohorts. In particular, the presence of an association between childhood trauma and the volume of the VDc (which includes the hypothalamic area), with replication, provides further evidence of the importance of neuroendocrine stress response pathways in links between early life stress and clinical outcomes.

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“…Several previous studies have shown structural changes in the thalamus after trauma or severe stress ( 6 , 14 ). Changes in thalamic volume have been observed in victims of childhood maltreatment or earthquakes ( 15 , 16 ). The thalamus consists of various nuclei, each of which has a distinct location and function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gray Matter Volume of Thalamic Nuclei in Traumatized North Korean Refugees

Lee

Kim

Jeong³

et al. 2022

Front. Psychiatry

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The current study investigated differences in the regional gray matter (GM) volume of specific thalamic nuclei between North Korean (NK) refugees and South Korean (SK) residents. It also investigated associations between thalamic GM volume changes and psychological symptoms. Psychological evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging were conducted on 50 traumatized NK refugees and 55 non-traumatized SK residents. The regional GM volume ratios in the bilateral thalami were calculated for all participants using voxel-based morphometry. NK refugees showed greater GM volume ratios in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei compared with SK residents. NK refugees also exhibited more depressive symptoms than SK residents. However, increased GM volume ratios in both right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei were correlated with fewer depressive symptoms in NK refugees, but not in SK residents. The findings indicate that traumatized NK refugees had increased GM volumes in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei, which were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The enlarged specific thalamic nuclei presented among refugees in the current study might be associated with a neurobiological compensatory mechanism that prevents the development or progression of depression in refugees after repetitive traumatic experiences.

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Multimodal MRI Assessment of Thalamic Structural Changes in Earthquake Survivors

Cited by 3 publications

References 46 publications

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Structural brain correlates of childhood trauma with replication across two large, independent community-based samples

Gray Matter Volume of Thalamic Nuclei in Traumatized North Korean Refugees

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