Effects of psychotherapy on hippocampal volume in out-patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: a MRI investigation

• DOI: 10.1017/s0033291705005246
• Publication Date: 2005-06-16T14:43:32Z
• Authors: RAMÓN J. L. LINDAUER; ERIK-JAN VLIEGER; MARGJE JALINK; MIRANDA OLFF; INGRID V. E. CARLIER; CHARLES B. L. M. ...; GERARD J. DEN HEETEN; BERTHOLD P. R. GE...
• Keywords: Parahippocampal gyrus; Grey matter

Background. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have especially reported smaller hippocampal volume in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), most of them war or sexual abuse victims. The present study compares the volumes out-patients PTSD who had low co-morbidity rates to those trauma-exposed control subjects without PTSD, and measures changes these after brief eclectic psychotherapy. We hypothesized that are specific effective psychotherapy would be measurable. Method. Eighteen 14 traumatized were examined MRI. In a randomized clinical trial, assigned treatment ( n =9) waiting-list group =9). After former received for 4 months, MRI was repeated on both groups. Three temporal lobe structures manually segmented: hippocampus, amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus. Volumetric analysis used measure grey matter, white cerebrospinal fluid. Results. significantly at baseline (total 13·8%, right 13·5%, left 14·1%) compared subjects. psychotherapy, however, no found hippocampi. Conclusions. confirmed previous findings new population made up experienced different types traumas, reducing minimum. Smaller did not change even while symptoms resolved.