Hippocampal and Amygdalar Volumes in Dissociative Identity Disorder
Open accessAbstract
Objective: Smaller hippocampal volume has been reported in several stress-related psychiatric disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder with early abuse, and depression with early abuse. Patients with borderline personality disorder and early abuse have also been found to have smaller amygdalar volume. The authors examined hippocampal and amygdalar volumes in patients with dissociative identity disorder, a disorder that has been associated with a history of severe childhood trauma. Method: The authors used magnetic resonance imaging to measure the volumes of the hippocampus and amygdala in 15 female patients with dissociative identity disorder and 23 female subjects without dissociative identity disorder or any other psychiatric disorder. The volumetric measurements for the two groups were compared. Results: Hippocampal volume was 19.2% smaller and amygdalar volume was 31.6% smaller in the patients with dissociative identity disorder, compared to the healthy subjects. The ratio of hippocampal volume to amygdalar volume was significantly different between groups. Conclusions: The findings are consistent with the presence of smaller hippocampal and amygdalar volumes in patients with dissociative identity disorder, compared with healthy subjects.
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In DID, reduced volumes in amygdala and hippocampus and parahippocampus were found, although discrepant findings of normal amygdala and hippocampal volumes compared to healthy controls were also reported.
“In DID, reduced volumes in the amygdala and hippocampus [94, 95] and parahippocampus [95] were found, although discrepant findings of normal amygdala and hippocampal volumes compared to healthy controls were also reported [96].”
From Dissociation and Alterations in Brain Function and Structure: Implications for Borderline Personality Disorder (2017) · cites this paper as [94]
There are enormous individual differences in the response to stress, based upon the experience of the individual early in life and in adult life.
“There are enormous individual differences in the response to stress, based upon the experience of the individual early in life and in adult life.”
From Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators: central role of the brain (2006) · cites this paper as [46]
Some effects of early life adversity are seen on brain structure and function, and in the risk for later depression and PTSD.
“Some of these effects are seen on brain structure and function, and in the risk for later depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).44-46”
From Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators: central role of the brain (2006) · cites this paper as [46]
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References 60 · Cited by 296
- Authors
- Vermetten, E., Schmahl, C., Lindner, S., Loewenstein, R. J., & Bremner, J. D.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Vermetten, Eric
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 2006-04
- Volume
- 163
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 630-636
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- PMC
- PMC3233754
- OpenAlex
- W1976044594
- Cited by
- 296
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 14.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 56120, R21MH080208, R01MH056120, K24MH076955, T32MH067547)
- National Center for Research Resources (S10RR016917)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- dissociative identity disorder, hippocampal volume, amygdala volume, childhood trauma, brain volumetry, stress-related psychiatric disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Atrophy, Child, Child Abuse, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sex Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Comorbidity
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