Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Early Life Stress.

Overview

PTSD s is a complex psychiatric condition that can significantly impair children. Our research will help increase our understanding about the neurobiological underpinnings of this disorder. Imaging in pediatric populations at risk for PTSD will help elucidate the relation between putative biological substrates and PTSD etiology, symptomatology and illness progression.

The Neuroanatomy of Early Life Stress

During the past decade the neuroanatomical and physiological correlates of PTSD have been investigated in adults. However, there is a limited understanding of the biological substrates for PTSD in children. There is increasing evidence that stress, through secretion of glucocorticoids by the adrenal steroids, can alter brain development.

Our research explores (a) the hormonal system responsible for glucocorticoid secretion, (b) brain structure and function throughout development, and (c) how the biological markers associate with the onset and progression of PTSD.

Structural Imaging Research in Early Life Stress

With the availability of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a clinical research tool, it is possible to obtain accurate volume measurements of many different neuroanatomic regions of interest, including the hippocampus and amygdala. We are also able to assess any changes that may occur in the brains of subjects with PTSD over time.

In coordination with the Stanford Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory (SPNL), our protocols include techniques for assessing a variety of neuroanatomical structures including precise measurement of the amygdala and hippocampus. Additionally our lab measures the white, grey and CSF tissue compartments of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, cerebellum, brainstem, and subcortical structures. The ready availability of these well-validated morphometric methods provides a good foundation for the study of brain development in PTSD.

Functional Imaging Research in Early Life Stress

We are studying children exposed to chronic history of maltreatment and with symptoms of PTSD with fMRI. Through these studies, we are elucidating different limbic, paralimbic, and cortical regions that demonstrate differential brain activation when compared with the brain function activation of children without such a history. Several experiments have been selected for the proposed study and are run concurrently with image acquisition.

The Future of Early Life Stress

The main goal of this program is to increase our knowledge on critical developmental (neurobehavioral, neuroanatomical and neuroendocrinological) influences that lead to the manifestation of PTSD. This research will set the stage for future studies in our program that will focus on the design of improved methods for early identification and intervention for children at risk for PTSDs. We also hope to contribute to more specific and effective treatments for children with symptoms that already impair their functioning in everyday life.