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Cited by 924Child Abuse and TraumaPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Hippocampal volume in women victimized by childhood sexual abuse

STEIN, M. B., KOVEROLA, C., HANNA, C., TORCHIA, M. G., McCLARTY, B.·1997·Psychological Medicine
DOI 10.1017/s0033291797005242
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Several prior studies have found reduced hippocampal volume in victims of psychological trauma with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We were interested to determine if this finding was evident in women who were victimized by severe sexual abuse in childhood. METHODS: In this study, hippocampal volume was measured using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 21 women who reported being severely sexually abused in childhood and 21 socio-demographically similar women without abuse histories. RESULTS: Women who reported sexual victimization in childhood had significantly reduced (5% smaller) left-sided hippocampal volume compared to the non-victimized women. Hippocampal volume was also smaller on the right side, but this failed to reach statistical significance. Left-sided hippocampal volume correlated highly (rs = -0.73) with dissociative symptom severity, but not with indices of explicit memory functioning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings, which are generally consistent with prior reports of reduced hippocampal volume in combat veterans with PTSD, suggest that diminished hippocampal size may be either a consequence of trauma exposure or a risk factor for the development of psychiatric complications following trauma exposure. The observed relationship between symptom severity and hippocampal volume suggests that mesial temporal lobe dysfunction may directly mediate certain aspects of PTSD and dissociative disorder symptomatology.

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  • Smaller hippocampal volumes have been found in individuals with PTSD, and pre-clinical models show significant reductions in rodent hippocampal volume following induced stress.

    “Smaller hippocampal volumes have been found in individuals with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (93), and pre-clinical models showing significant reductions in rodent hippocampal volume following induced stress compared to pre-stress size (94).”

    From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [93]

  • Smaller hippocampal volume is found among adults with early abuse-related PTSD, adult women with early abuse and depression, and borderline personality disorder but not in children with PTSD.

    “Smaller hippocampal volume is found among adults with early abuse-related PTSD (Bremner 1997, 2003a; Stein 1997), adult women with early abuse and depression (Vythilingam 2002), and borderline personality disorder (Driessen 2000; Schmahl 2003) but not in children with PTSD (De Bellis 1999a, 2002; Carrion 2001) suggesting that early abuse with chronic long-term stress-related psychiatric disorder”

    From The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology (2006) · cites this paper as Stein 1997

  • Magnetic resonance imaging has revealed reductions in hippocampus volumes among women who were sexually abused as children.

    “Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed reductions in hippocampus (Bremner 1997, 2003a; Stein 1997), and amygdala (Driessen 2000; Schmahl 2003) volumes as well as deficits in verbal declarative memory measured with neuropsychological testing (Teicher 2000; Heim and Nemeroff 2001) among women who were sexually abused as children.”

    From The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology (2006) · cites this paper as Stein 1997

  • Hippocampal volume can also be correlated with anxiety levels in patients with anxiety disorders.

    “Hippocampal volume can also be correlated with anxiety levels in patients with anxiety disorders (Bremner et al, 1995; Stein et al, 1997).”

    From Divergent Functional Effects of Sazetidine-A and Varenicline During Nicotine Withdrawal (2013) · cites this paper as Stein et al, 1997

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Authors
STEIN, M. B., KOVEROLA, C., HANNA, C., TORCHIA, M. G., & McCLARTY, B.
Affiliations
University of California San Diego (US)
ORCID
TORCHIA, M. G.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
1997-07
Volume
27
Issue
4
Pages
951-959
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
DOI
10.1017/s0033291797005242
OpenAlex
W2045217506
Cited by
924
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 38
FWCI
27.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
hippocampal volume, child sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociation, dissociative symptoms, brain structure, women, declarative memory, trauma exposure
MeSH terms
Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Analysis of Variance, Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dissociative Disorders, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Neurotic Disorders, Severity of Illness Index, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Case-Control Studies

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