Citation

Whalley MG, Kroes MC, Huntley Z, Rugg MD, Davis SW, Brewin CR. Brain Cogn. 2012; 81(1): 151-159.

Affiliation

Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, UK; Berkshire Traumatic Stress Service & Clinical Health Psychology Service, Reading, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.bandc.2012.10.002

PMID

23207576

Abstract

Flashbacks are a defining feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but there have been few studies of their neural basis. We tested predictions from a dual representation model of PTSD that, compared with ordinary episodic memories of the same traumatic event, flashbacks would be associated with activity in dorsal visual stream and related areas rather than in the medial temporal lobe. Participants with PTSD, with depression but not PTSD, and healthy controls were scanned during a recognition task with personally relevant stimuli. The contrast of flashbacks versus ordinary episodic trauma memories in PTSD was associated with increased activation in sensory and motor areas including the insula, precentral gyrus, supplementary motor area, and mid-occipital cortex. The same contrast was associated with decreased activation in the midbrain, parahippocampal gyrus, and precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex. The results were discussed in terms of theories of PTSD and dual-process models of recognition.

Language: en