fMRI in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) During Working Memory Updating

Completed

• Conditions: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders; Anxiety; Amnesia, Dissociative
• Interventions: Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional

• Registration Number: NCT00288314
• Lead Sponsor: University Hospital, Tours

Brief Summary

Neuropsychological studies investigating trauma-exposed and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) subjects have generally underlined the significantly poorer performance of tasks that require attention, concentration, and verbal memory, and difficulty in regulating memories surrounding the traumatic event. A previous study (El Hage et al. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 2006) revealed that the trauma-exposed subjects scored higher on anxiety/depression scales, and lower on processing speed tests. Moreover, the study showed significant impairment in working memory partially mediated by speed processing, but not by anxiety or depression. These results suggest that processing speed makes a major contribution to trauma-related working memory decline, and needs to be investigated in further studies.The aim of the present study is to explore correlation between hippocampus volume, frontal dysfunction and cognitive slowing in trauma-exposed subjects, while examining brain activation during performance of working memory tasks using functional magnetic resonance.

Detailed Description

Working memory performance will be assessed using the "3-back test", and processing speed evaluated with "words comparison test". The study will be conducted on 2 years. The study should include 18 right-handed females victims of sexual abuse and suffering from PTSD, and 18 controls right-handed females without any history of abuse ad not suffering from PTSD. Brain activation will be measured during performance of working memory tasks (3-back test) and processing speed test using functional magnetic resonance.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2006-02-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2006-02-03
• Study First Posted: 2006-02-07
• Study Start: 2007-01
• Primary Completion: 2008-05
• Study Completion: 2008-05
• Status Verified: 2010-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2010-03-16
• Last Update Posted: 2010-03-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 34

Inclusion Criteria

• Right-handed women
• Victim of sexual abuse
• Suffering from PTSD

Exclusion Criteria

• Epilepsy
• Claustrophobia
• MRI contre-indication
• Addictive disorders
• Sightless
• Detection of a brain injury at the MRI

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
PTSD	Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional	-
CONTROLS	Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional	-

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Hospital of Tours; 🇫🇷 Tours, Centre, France