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Cited by 422Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchTraumatic Brain Injury Research

Alterations in default network connectivity in posttraumatic stress disorder related to early-life trauma

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Bluhm, Robyn L., Williamson, Peter C., Osuch, Elizabeth A., Frewen, Paul A., Stevens, Todd K., Boksman, Kristine, Neufeld, Richard W.J., Théberge, Jean +1 more·2009·Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
DOI 10.1139/jpn.0925PMC PMC2674971
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Abstract

Background: The “default network” consists of a number of brain regions that exhibit correlated low-frequency activity at rest and that have been suggested to be involved in the processing of self-relevant stimuli. Activity in many of these areas has also been shown to be altered in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We hypothesized that the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus, part of the default network, would exhibit altered connectivity at rest with other areas of the default network and regions associated with PTSD. Methods: Seventeen medicated and unmedicated female patients with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to early-life trauma and 15 healthy female controls underwent a 5.5-minute functional magnetic resonance imaging scan with their eyes closed. We assessed areas of the brain whose activity positively and negatively correlated with that of the PCC/precuneus in both groups. Results: At rest, spontaneous low-frequency activity in the PCC/precuneus was more strongly correlated with activity in other areas of the default network in healthy controls than in patients with PTSD. Direct comparison of the 2 groups showed that PCC/precuneus connectivity was also greater in healthy controls than in patients with PTSD in a number of areas previously associated with PTSD, including the right amygdala and the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus. Limitations: Because our PTSD sample comprised only women with chronic early-life trauma exposure, our results may not be generalizeable to male patients, to a population with single trauma exposure or to those who were adults when the trauma occurred. In addition, our sample included patients taking medication and it is not yet clear how altered connectivity is affected by medication. Conclusion: Spontaneous activity in the default network during rest, as measured using PCC correlations, is altered in patients with PTSD. The potential effects of psychotropic medications on default network connectivity in the present sample remain unknown. In this patient population, the observed alterations may be associated with the disturbances in self-referential processing often observed in patients with chronic PTSD related to early-life trauma.

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  • Inappropriate recruitment of task-negative brain networks and a potential inability to switch between networks in response to cognitively demanding tasks in association with dissociative symptomatology may be a significant contributor to cognitive dysfunction in the populations discussed.

    “these findings coupled with those of Bluhm et al. (2009) suggest that inappropriate recruitment of task-negative brain networks and a potential inability to switch between networks in response to cognitively demanding tasks in association with dissociative symptomatology may be a significant contributor to cognitive dysfunction the populations discussed here.”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Bluhm et al. (2009)

    The Discussion reports an association between dissociation scores and connectivity between the default network and a prefrontal region involved in cognitive activity. The study examined resting-state connectivity in patients with PTSD; it did not establish an inability to switch networks during demanding tasks or show that this causes cognitive dysfunction. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Dissociative psychopathology and cognitive dysfunction may be linked through inappropriate recruitment of brain regions associated with task positive networks (CEN) to task negative networks (DMN).

    “we posit that dissociative psychopathology and cognitive dysfunction may be linked through inappropriate recruitment of brain regions associated with task positive networks (CEN) to task negative networks (DMN) (as reported by Bluhm et al. (2009)).”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Bluhm et al. (2009)

    The Discussion reports that, in patients with PTSD, greater dissociation correlated with stronger connectivity between a default-network region and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region associated with cognitive processing. It raises a hypothesis about altered relations between the default network and cognitive regions, but does not report cognitive dysfunction or show inappropriate recruitment of CEN regions into the DMN. The citing authors’ proposed link therefore goes beyond what Bluhm et al. report. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Higher levels of dissociative symptoms were associated with greater connectivity of the dlPFC with the DMN among women with PTSD as a result of early life trauma.

    “Importantly, higher levels of dissociative symptoms were associated with greater connectivity of the dlPFC with the DMN among women with PTSD as a result of early life trauma (Bluhm et al., 2009), suggesting inappropriate recruitment of CEN brain regions to the DMN.”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Bluhm et al., 2009

  • Among women with PTSD as a result of early life trauma, higher levels of dissociation were associated with increased connectivity of the dlPFC with the DMN.

    “For example, among women with PTSD as a result of early life trauma, higher levels of dissociation were associated with increased connectivity of the dlPFC (a main node of the CEN) with the DMN (Bluhm et al., 2009).”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Bluhm et al., 2009

  • Alterations in the default mode network have been reported in schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, PTSD, OCD, and ASD.

    “alterations in the default mode network have been reported in schizophrenia (Öngür et al., 2010), ADHD (Konrad and Eickhoff, 2010), depression (Öngür et al., 2010; Zhu et al., 2012), PTSD (Bluhm et al., 2009), OCD (Peng et al., 2014), and ASD (Padmanabhan et al., 2017).”

    From The cingulum bundle: Anatomy, function, and dysfunction (2018) · cites this paper as Bluhm et al., 2009

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Authors
Bluhm, R. L., Williamson, P. C., Osuch, E. A., Frewen, P. A., Stevens, T. K., Boksman, K., Neufeld, R. W. J., Théberge, J., & Lanius, R. A.
Affiliations
  • Old Dominion University (US)
  • Western University (CA)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • Hotel Dieu Hospital (CA)
  • Department of Psychology
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Published
2009-05
Volume
34
Issue
3
Pages
187-194
ISSN
  • 1180-4882 (ISSN-L)
  • 1488-2434
DOI
10.1139/jpn.0925
PMC
PMC2674971
OpenAlex
W2102370796
Cited by
422
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 19
FWCI
9.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ODU Digital Commons (Old Dominion University) (submittedVersion)
  • PubMed
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, early trauma, default mode network, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, resting-state functional connectivity, amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, self-referential processing, chronic PTSD, women
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, Neural Pathways, Periodicity, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Young Adult

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