An Examination of Volumetric and Cortical Thickness Correlates of Posttraumatic Nightmares in Male Active Duty Service Members

Elsevier

Available online 30 September 2022, 111546

Psychiatry Research: NeuroimagingHighlights•

Posttraumatic nightmares were not related to structural differences in the brain

Measures of gray matter volume, cortical surface area, or cortical thickness

Examined the amygdala, medial prefrontal, hippocampus, anterior cingulate, & insula

Propose functional differences may be related to trauma-related nightmares

Abstract

Posttraumatic nightmares commonly occur after a traumatic experience. Despite significant deleterious effects on well-being and their role in posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic nightmares remain understudied. The neuroanatomical structures of the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex constitute the AMPHAC model (Levin and Nielsen, 2007), which is implicated in the neurophysiology of disturbing dreams of which posttraumatic nightmares is a part. However, this model has not been investigated using neuroimaging data. The present study sought to determine whether there are structural differences in the AMPHAC regions in relation to the occurrence of posttraumatic nightmares. Data were obtained from treatment-seeking male active duty service members (N = 351). Posttraumatic nightmares were not significantly related to gray matter volume, cortical surface area, or cortical thickness of any the AMPHAC regions when controlling for age and history of mild traumatic brain injury. Although the present analyses do not support an association between structural measures of AMPHAC regions and posttraumatic nightmares, we suggest that functional differences within and/or between these brain regions may be related to the occurrence of posttraumatic nightmares because functional and structural associations are distinct. Future research should examine whether functional differences may be associated with posttraumatic nightmares.

Keywords

posttraumatic nightmares

military

MRI

PTSD

sleep

trauma-related nightmares

veterans

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© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.

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