Neural processing correlates of assaultive violence exposure and PTSD symptoms during implicit threat processing: A network-level analysis among adolescent girls

Abstract

Assaultive violence exposure during childhood is a significant risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of the present study was to characterize the relationships of assault and PTSD severity with the organization of large-scale networks identified during emotion processing. Adolescent girls aged 12–16 with (N=15) and without (N=15) histories of assault underwent fMRI while engaged in a task that presented images of fearful or neutral facial expressions. Independent component analysis (ICA) identified a frontocingulate network, a frontoparietal network, and a default mode network. Assault exposure was associated with significantly greater activation of the frontocingulate network for fear versus neutral faces. Within the frontocingulate network, PTSD severity was associated with weakened functional connectivity between the left amygdala and the perigenual anterior cingulate. Within the frontoparietal network, assaulted girls demonstrated weakened connectivity of the premotor cortex with the right middle frontal gyrus. Within the default mode network, assault exposure and PTSD severity were associated with strengthening functional connectivity of the parahippocampus with the medial and lateral PFC, respectively. Individual differences in functional connections within the frontocingulate network and frontoparietal network among the assaulted group were strongly associated with caregiver-rated family disengagement. These results demonstrate associations between assault and PTSD symptoms on the functional organization of large-scale frontoparietal, frontocingulate, and default mode networks during emotion processing. The relationship with caregiver-rated family disengagement suggests the impact of family support on the neural processing correlates of assault and PTSD symptoms.

Prefrontal–Amygdala Dysregulation to Threat in Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…Although dACC hyperactivation has been a relatively consistent finding in adult PTSD (Pitman et al, 2012), it has not previously been reported in pediatric PTSD/PTSS. This may be attributable to differences in emotion task, but could also be related to greater PTSD severity in our sample as compared with prior studies (eg, Cisler et al, 2013;Crozier et al, 2014;Garrett et al, 2012). Interestingly, we did not find evidence of abnormal amygdala-dACC connectivity in pediatric PTSD.…”

“…Finally, only one reported study has examined functional brain connectivity in youth with PTSS. A study of adolescent sexual assault victims, largely subclinical for PTSD, reported an inverse relationship between PTSS and amygdala-rACC functional connectivity, although no group differences in connectivity were reported (Cisler et al, 2013). These studies provide initial evidence of abnormal prefrontal-amygdala function during emotion processing in pediatric PTSD, yet their differing findings also highlight the need for additional study.…”

Paradoxical Prefrontal–Amygdala Recruitment to Angry and Happy Expressions in Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…One possible reason for this is greater PTSD severity and comorbidity within the current sample, where other studies have recruited youth based on lower symptom thresholds. Finally, Cisler et al (2013) found a negative relationship between PTSD symptom severity and amygdala-dmPFC/pre-SMA connectivity to fearful faces in girls with a history of assault. This is perhaps one of the most consistent findings to date in pediatric PTSD/PTSS, with both the current study and our prior study (Wolf and Herringa, 2016) showing decreased amygdala-dmPFC connectivity to negative emotional stimuli, and further predicting PTSD severity.…”

“…Decreased dmPFC activation to fear faces has been reported in female youth with PTSS, suggesting possible sex differences (Crozier et al, 2014). Finally, PTSS were found to be negatively correlated with amygdala-dmPFC/pre-supplementary motor area (SMA) functional connectivity to fear versus neutral faces (Cisler et al, 2013).…”

Mindfulness-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of the treatment literature and neurobiological evidence

“…61 Interestingly, one study reported inappropriate activation of the DMN during a working memory task among patients with PTSD that contrasted with appropriate activation of the CEN among controls, suggesting an inability to recruit task-positive networks in individuals with PTSD. 99 In addition, reduced resting state functional connectivity among frontoparietal regions of the CEN have been associated with PTSD symptoms and trauma history 100 ( Fig. 2).…”