The Association of PTSD Symptom Severity With Localized Hippocampus and Amygdala Abnormalities

BackgroundThe hippocampus and amygdala have been repeatedly implicated in the psychopathology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While numerous structural neuroimaging studies examined these two structures in PTSD, these analyses have largely been limited to volumetric measures. Recent advances in vertex-based neuroimaging methods have made it possible to identify specific locations of subtle morphometric changes within a structure of interest.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to examine the relationship between PTSD symptomatology, as measured using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the DSM-IV, and structural shape of the hippocampus and amygdala using vertex-wise shape analyses in a group of combat-exposed U.S. Veterans (N = 69).ResultsFollowing correction for multiple comparisons and controlling for age and cranial volume, we found that participants with more severe PTSD symptoms showed an indentation in the anterior half of the right...