Quantifying Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms During Traumatic Memories Using Interpretable Markers of Respiratory Variability.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes heightened fight-or-flight responses to traumatic memories (i.e., hyperarousal). Although hyperarousal is hypothesized to cause irregular breathing (i.e., respiratory variability), no quantitative markers of respiratory variability have been shown to correspond with PTSD symptoms in humans.

Objective

In this study, we define interpretable markers of respiration pattern variability (RPV) and investigate whether these markers respond during traumatic memories, correlate with PTSD symptoms, and differ in patients with PTSD.

Methods

We recruited 156 veterans from the Vietnam-Era Twin Registry to participate in a trauma recall protocol. From respiratory effort and electrocardiogram measurements, we extracted respirator

SUBMITTER: Gazi AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11364449 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature