Citation

Rowland GE, Roeckner A, Ely TD, Lebois LAM, van Rooij SJH, Bruce SE, Jovanovic T, House SL, Beaudoin FL, An X, Neylan TC, Clifford GD, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PIJ, Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Kurz MC, Gentile NT, Hudak LA, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Harris E, Pearson C, Merchant RC, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Miller MW, Pietrzak RH, Joormann J, Pizzagalli DA, Sheridan JF, Smoller JW, Harte SE, Elliott JM, Kessler RC, Koenen KC, McLean SA, Ressler KJ, Stevens JS, Harnett NG. Biol. Psychiatry Glob. Open Sci. 2023; 3(4): 705-715.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.02.004

PMID

37881578

PMCID

PMC10593890

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prior sexual trauma (ST) is associated with greater risk for posttraumatic stress disorder after a subsequent traumatic event; however, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain opaque. We investigated longitudinal posttraumatic dysfunction and amygdala functional dynamics following admission to an emergency department for new primarily nonsexual trauma in participants with and without previous ST.

METHODS: Participants (N = 2178) were recruited following acute trauma exposure (primarily motor vehicle collision). A subset (n = 242) completed magnetic resonance imaging that included a fearful faces task and a resting-state scan 2 weeks after the trauma. We investigated associations between prior ST and several dimensions of posttraumatic symptoms over 6 months. We further assessed amygdala activation and connectivity differences between groups with or without prior ST.

RESULTS: Prior ST was associated with greater posttraumatic depression (F(1,1120) = 28.35, p = 1.22 × 10(-7), η(p)(2) = 0.06), anxiety (F(1,1113) = 17.43, p = 3.21 × 10(-5), η(p)(2) = 0.05), and posttraumatic stress disorder (F(1,1027) = 11.34, p = 7.85 × 10(-4), η(p)(2) = 0.04) severity and more maladaptive beliefs about pain (F(1,1113) = 8.51, p =.004, η(p)(2) = 0.02) but was not related to amygdala reactivity to fearful versus neutral faces (all ps >.05). A secondary analysis revealed an interaction between ST and lifetime trauma load on the left amygdala to visual cortex connectivity (peak Z value: -4.41, corrected p <.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that prior ST is associated with heightened posttraumatic dysfunction following a new trauma exposure but not increased amygdala activity. In addition, ST may interact with lifetime trauma load to alter neural circuitry in visual processing regions following acute trauma exposure. Further research should probe the relationship between trauma type and visual circuitry in the acute aftermath of trauma.

Language: en

Keywords

Posttraumatic stress disorder; Longitudinal study; Neuroimaging; Sexual trauma