Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Combat-Exposed Control Veterans: A Graph Theory Based Network Analysis

This study is the first to our knowledge to examine resting-state functional connectivity within default-mode, salience, and central executive networks in an all-male sample of combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat-exposed Control veterans. Prior studies of resting-state functional connectivity in PTSD samples employed region of interest and independent components analyses. In contrast, in the present study, functional connectivity data was analyzed at a higher resolution (20,000 voxels) to construct a network wherein all voxels and voxel measures are considered dependent. Because the networks of the Control Veterans were somewhat atypical, an additional set of analyses was performed comparing connectivity in each veteran sub-sample to a sample of ten healthy age-matched males downloaded from the publically available Functional Connectome Database (Connectome Controls). Veterans with PTSD showed lower core and degree centrality within posterior regions of the default-mode network and lower connectivity between anterior and posterior default-mode regions compared to both Control Veterans and Connectome Controls. PTSD networks more consistently included the right amygdala in the representative anterior insula module compared to each control group, consistent with prior resting-state studies in PTSD samples (Rabinak et al., 2011; Sripada et al., 2012a, 2012b). These findings may inform the development and maintenance of core symptoms in chronic PTSD.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Roseman, Paige Lee

• network science

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/38587

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/38587