Cited by 152Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchTraumatic Brain Injury ResearchChild Abuse and Trauma

Post-traumatic stress influences the brain even in the absence of symptoms: a systematic, quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

Stark, E.A., Parsons, C.E., Van Hartevelt, T.J., Charquero-Ballester, M., McManners, H., Ehlers, A., Stein, A., Kringelbach, M.L.·2015·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Abstract

Stress affects brain function, and may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Considerable empirical data for the neurobiology of PTSD has been derived from neuroimaging studies, although findings have proven inconsistent. We used an activation likelihood estimation analysis to explore differences in brain activity between adults with and without PTSD in response to affective stimuli. We separated studies by type of control group: trauma-exposed and trauma-naïve. This revealed distinct patterns of differences in functional activity. Compared to trauma-exposed controls, regions of the basal ganglia were differentially active in PTSD; whereas the comparison with trauma-naïve controls revealed differential involvement in the right anterior insula, precuneus, cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices known to be involved in emotional regulation. Changes in activity in the amygdala and parahippocampal cortex distinguished PTSD from both control groups. Results suggest that trauma has a measurable, enduring effect upon the functional dynamics of the brain, even in individuals who experience trauma but do not develop PTSD. These findings contribute to the understanding of whole-brain network activity following trauma, and its transition to clinical PTSD.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.07.007

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Authors
Stark, E. A., Parsons, C. E., Van Hartevelt, T. J., Charquero-Ballester, M., McManners, H., Ehlers, A., Stein, A., & Kringelbach, M. L.
Affiliations
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
Kringelbach, M.L.
Venue
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-09
Volume
56
Pages
207-221
ISSN
0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2133265147
Cited by
152
References
103
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 1
FWCI
2.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Braveheart Foundation
  • Wellcome Trust (069777)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma exposure, brain activity, emotional stimuli, basal ganglia, anterior insula, precuneus, cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, parahippocampal cortex, emotion regulation, brain networks
MeSH terms
Brain, Humans, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Neuroimaging

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