Acute White Matter Integrity Post-trauma and Prospective Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Authors

Carissa N. Weis, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Ashley A. Huggins, University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeFollow
Tara A. Miskovich, VA Northern California Healthcare System
Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald, Marquette UniversityFollow
Kenneth P. Bennett, Montana VA Health Care SystemFollow
Jessica L. Krukowski, Marquette UniversityFollow
E. Kate Webb, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Terri A deRoon-Cassini, Medical College of WisconsinFollow
Christine L. Larson, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2021

Publisher

Frontiers Media, S.A.

Source Publication

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Source ISSN

1662-5161

Abstract

Background: Little is known about what distinguishes those who are resilient after trauma from those at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous work indicates white matter integrity may be a useful biomarker in predicting PTSD. Research has shown changes in the integrity of three white matter tracts—the cingulum bundle, corpus callosum (CC), and uncinate fasciculus (UNC)—in the aftermath of trauma relate to PTSD symptoms. However, few have examined the predictive utility of white matter integrity in the acute aftermath of trauma to predict prospective PTSD symptom severity in a mixed traumatic injury sample.

Method: Thus, the current study investigated acute brain structural integrity in 148 individuals being treated for traumatic injuries in the Emergency Department of a Level 1 trauma center. Participants underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging 2 weeks post-trauma and completed several self-report measures at 2-weeks (T1) and 6 months (T2), including the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-V (CAPS-5), post-injury.

Results: Consistent with previous work, T1 lesser anterior cingulum fractional anisotropy (FA) was marginally related to greater T2 total PTSD symptoms. No other white matter tracts were related to PTSD symptoms.

Conclusions: Results demonstrate that in a traumatically injured sample with predominantly subclinical PTSD symptoms at T2, acute white matter integrity after trauma is not robustly related to the development of chronic PTSD symptoms. These findings suggest the timing of evaluating white matter integrity and PTSD is important as white matter differences may not be apparent in the acute period after injury.

Comments

Published version. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol. 15 (September 29, 2021): 742198. DOI. © 2021 Weis, Huggins, Miskovich, Fitzgerald, Bennett, Krukowski, Webb, deRoon-Cassini and Larson. Used with permission

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Weis, Carissa N.; Huggins, Ashley A.; Miskovich, Tara A.; Fitzgerald, Jacklynn M.; Bennett, Kenneth P.; Krukowski, Jessica L.; Webb, E. Kate; deRoon-Cassini, Terri A; and Larson, Christine L., "Acute White Matter Integrity Post-trauma and Prospective Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms" (2021). Psychology Faculty Research and Publications. 533.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/psych_fac/533