Jennifer DiMuzio

A Preliminary Study of DSM-5 PTSD Symptom Patterns in Veterans by Trauma Type

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a primary etiology in experiencing psychological trauma and the subsequent psychological sequelae ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There are multiple trauma types that may serve as the index trauma in PTSD. This exploratory study compared DSM–5 PTSD symptoms for 3 types of trauma in veterans: combat trauma (n = 36), sexual trauma (n = 21), and civilian trauma (n = 21). Results indicated that veterans with combat trauma were likely to experience diminished interest and detachment and estrangement from others. Veterans with sexual trauma were likely to experience detachment and estrangement from others, sleep disturbances, and problems with concentration. Veterans with civilian traumas were less likely to meet criteria for PTSD and were less likely to experience a number of PTSD symptoms. Results of this preliminary study suggest that PTSD is not a unitary disorder, but a disorder characterized by different subtypes based on the precipitating trauma.

Sex differences in white matter integrity in youths with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study

Widespread disparities in white matter (WM) microstructure and organization have been found in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, little is known about the role sex plays in these differences. The present diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study performed whole-brain, tract-based, voxel-wise, and region of interest (ROI) analyses to investigate WM microstructure differences between ADHD and healthy control (HC) adolescents to examine the impact of sex on measures of fractional anisotropy (FA). Eighteen adolescents with ADHD and 24 HC were included in this study. All participants received a 64-direction DTI scan on a 3 Tesla Siemens scanner. FSLs TBSS was used to perform whole-brain, tract-based, voxel-wise analyses. Tracts demonstrating significant sex-by-diagnosis interactions were further evaluated using univariate analyses performed on mean FA data that were extracted from ROIs using the Johns Hopkins University WM tractography atlas. TBSS analyses between diagnostic groups revealed significantly increased FA in HC relative to ADHD in the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), forceps major, left cingulum, and bilateral callosal regions. In addition, both TBSS and separate ROI analyses revealed significant sex-by-diagnosis interactions for the corticospinal tract (CST), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and SLF. In the HC group, FA was increased in males relative to females for all analyses. In WM regions demonstrating a significant sex-by-diagnosis, FA was increased in females relative to males in the ADHD group. Our findings suggest that WM microstructure in several major WM tracts differs between males and females with ADHD. These differences in WM microstructure may account for some of the differences in ADHD subtypes and comorbidities seen between the sexes. Additional studies in ADHD, examining sex differences in phenotypic expression, treatment response and brain network trajectories are warranted.

Increased efficiency of brain connectivity networks in veterans with suicide attempts

Background Suicide is a public health concern for United States veterans and civilians. Prior research has shown neurobiological factors in suicide. However, studies of neuroimaging correlates of suicide risk have been limited. This study applied complex weighted network analyses to characterize the neural connectivity in white matter in veterans with suicide behavior. Methods Twenty-eight veterans without suicide behavior (NS), 29 with a history of suicidal ideation only (SI), and 23 with prior suicide attempt (SA) completed diffusion tensor brain imaging, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Structural connectivity networks among 82 parcellated brain regions were produced using whole-brain tractography. Global and nodal metrics of network topology have been calculated. Results SA had shorter characteristic path length and greater global efficiency and mean weighted degree of global network metrics (p < 0.024). SA had more hub nodes than NS and SI. The left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) showed significantly greater weighted degree in SA relative to others (p < 0.0003). Nonplanning subscale of BIS correlated with the weighted degrees of the left PCC within SA. In rich club connectivity, SA had higher local connections than others (p = 0.001). Conclusion Veterans with prior suicide attempt had altered connectivity networks characteristics in the white matter. These findings may be distinctive neurobiological markers for individuals with suicide attempt. Strong connectivity in the left PCC may be implicated in impulsivity in veterans with suicide attempt.

Negative Mood States Correlate with Laterobasal Amygdala in Collegiate Football Players

A number of studies have suggested that sports-related concussion (SRC) may place individuals at increased risk for depression and negative outcomes including suicide. However, the mechanisms underlying a potential relationship between brain integrity and mood remain unclear. The current study is aimed at examining the association between amygdala shape, mood state, and postconcussion symptoms in collegiate football players. Thirty members of 1 football team completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the postconcussion symptom scale (PCSS), and an MRI protocol during preseason camp. T1-weighted images were acquired and three-dimensional amygdala and probabilistic maps were created for shape analysis. Correlation analyses between POMS and PCSS and the relationship between POMS and amygdala shape were completed. In the amygdala, the left laterobasal subregion showed a positive relationship with the POMS total score and subscales scores. No significant relationship between PCSS and amygdala shape was found. Significant positive correlations were found between POMS subscales and PCSS. These results indicate that amygdala structure may be more closely associated with negative mood states than postconcussion symptoms. These findings suggest that premorbid individual differences in effect may provide critical insight into the relationship between negative mood and outcomes in collegiate football players with SRC.

The Effect of Citicoline Supplementation on Motor Speed and Attention in Adolescent Males

Objective: This study assessed the effects of citicoline, a nutraceutical, on attention, psychomotor function, and impulsivity in healthy adolescent males. Method: Seventy-five healthy adolescent males were randomly assigned to either the citicoline group (n = 51 with 250 or 500 mg citicoline) or placebo (n = 24). Participants completed the Ruff 2&7 Selective Attention Test, Finger Tap Test, and the Computerized Performance Test, Second Edition (CPT-II) at baseline and after 28 days of supplementation. Results: Individuals receiving citicoline exhibited improved attention (p = 0.02) and increased psychomotor speed (p = 0.03) compared with those receiving placebo. Higher weight-adjusted dose significantly predicted increased accuracy on an attention task (p = 0.01), improved signal detectability on a computerized attention task (p = 0.03), and decreased impulsivity (p = 0.01). Discussion: Adolescent males receiving 28 days of Cognizin® citicoline showed improved attention and psychomotor speed and reduced impulsivity compared to adolescent males who received placebo.