Working memory processing of traumatic material in women with posttraumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with medial frontal and amygdala functional alterations during the processing of traumatic material and frontoparietal dysfunctions during working memory tasks. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated the effects of trauma-related words processing on working memory in patients with PTSD.

Methods

We obtained fMRI scans during a 3-back task and an identity task on both neutral and trauma-related words in women with PTSD who had been sexually abused and in healthy, nonexposed pair-matched controls.

Results

Seventeen women with PTSD and 17 controls participated in the study. We found no behavioural working memory deficit for the PTSD group. In both tasks, deactivation of posterior p

SUBMITTER: Landre L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3297067 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature