Functional neuroimaging of emotionally intense autobiographical memories in post-traumatic stress disorder
Open accessAbstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects regions that support autobiographical memory (AM) retrieval, such as the hippocampus, amygdala and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, it is not well understood how PTSD may impact the neural mechanisms of memory retrieval for the personal past. We used a generic cue method combined with parametric modulation analysis and functional MRI (fMRI) to investigate the neural mechanisms affected by PTSD symptoms during the retrieval of a large sample of emotionally intense AMs. There were three main results. First, the PTSD group showed greater recruitment of the amygdala/hippocampus during the construction of negative versus positive emotionally intense AMs, when compared to controls. Second, across both the construction and elaboration phases of retrieval the PTSD group showed greater recruitment of the ventral medial PFC for negatively intense memories, but less recruitment for positively intense memories. Third, the PTSD group showed greater functional coupling between the ventral medial PFC and the amygdala for negatively intense memories, but less coupling for positively intense memories. In sum, the fMRI data suggest that there was greater recruitment and coupling of emotional brain regions during the retrieval of negatively intense AMs in the PTSD group when compared to controls.
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Functional connectivity findings in adult PTSD are mixed, suggesting both greater and lower amygdala-mPFC connectivity to negative stimuli.
“Functional connectivity findings in adult PTSD have been mixed, suggesting both greater [11–13] and lower [14] amygdala-mPFC connectivity to negative stimuli.”
From Trauma, PTSD, and the Developing Brain (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
St. Jacques et al. (2011) fMRI results indicate that PTSD patients have higher right amygdala activation during the construction of negatively intense autobiographical memory compared to a control group.
“Subsequently, fMRI results obtained by St. Jacques et al. (2011) indicate that PTSD patients have higher amygdala activation (in the right amygdala) during the construction of negatively intense autobiographical memory, when compared to that of a control group.”
From Neuroimaging research in posttraumatic stress disorder – Focus on amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (2019) · cites this paper as St. Jacques et al. (2011)
Insula responsivity to negative images in individuals with PTSD has been shown to be positively correlated with hyperarousal symptoms, re-experiencing symptoms and flashback intensity.
“Indeed, insula responsivity to negative images in individuals with PTSD has previously been shown to be positively correlated with hyperarousal symptoms,19 re-experiencing symptoms63 and flashback intensity.64”
From Altered resting-state amygdala functional connectivity in men with posttraumatic stress disorder (2012) · cites this paper as [64]
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“…the symptoms, with different and more complex emotional dysregulation observed in individuals with PTSD. Subsequently, fMRI results obtained by St. Jacques et al. (2011) indicate that PTSD patients have higher amygdala activation (in the right amygdala) during the construction of negatively…”
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- Authors
- St. Jacques, P. L., Botzung, A., Miles, A., & Rubin, D. C.
- Affiliations
- Duke University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-05
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 630-637
- ISSN
- 0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3081954
- OpenAlex
- W2166088151
- Cited by
- 112
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 7.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- DukeSpace (Duke University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG023123)
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH066079)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, autobiographical memory, memory retrieval, emotional intensity, amygdala, hippocampus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Emotions, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory Disorders, Neural Pathways, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Photic Stimulation, Psychometrics, Mental Recall, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Vocabulary, Young Adult
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