Disturbance in the neural circuitry underlying positive emotional processing in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An fMRI study

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2006 Mar;256(2):112-4. doi: 10.1007/s00406-005-0617-3. Epub 2005 Sep 12.

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the circuitry underlying movie-induced positive emotional processing in subjects with chronic PTSD. Ten male subjects with chronic PTSD and ten matched controls were studied. In an fMRI-paradigm a sequence of a wellknown Walt Disney cartoon with positive emotional valence was shown. PTSD subjects showed an increased activation in the right posterior temporal, precentral and superior frontal cortex. Controls recruited more emotion-related regions bilateral in the temporal pole and areas of the left fusiform and parahippocampal gyrus. This pilot study is the first to reveal alterations in the processing of positive emotions in PTSD possibly reflecting a neuronal correlate of the symptom of emotional numbness in PTSD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology
  • Emotions / physiology*
  • Frontal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Hippocampus / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Net / physiopathology*
  • Oxygen / blood*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / physiopathology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Temporal Lobe / physiopathology

Substances

  • Oxygen