Evidence of resilience: neuroimaging in former prisoners of war

Psychiatry Res. 2006 Jan 30;146(1):59-64. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2005.07.007. Epub 2005 Dec 19.

Abstract

In this study, single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ((1)H-MRS) and volumetric analysis of hippocampal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images were used to determine if any differences in hippocampal biochemistry or volume were present between former prisoners of war (POWs) with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and control subjects matched for age and education. This study did not find lower hippocampal concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), smaller hippocampal volumes, or more impaired memory function in older veterans with PTSD compared with a group matched for traumatic experience or a nontraumatized control group.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Demography
  • Hippocampus / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*
  • Male
  • Memory
  • Prisoners / psychology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / metabolism*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Warfare*

Substances

  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-acetylaspartate