Lm. Shin et al., VISUAL-IMAGERY AND PERCEPTION IN POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER - A POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION, Archives of general psychiatry, 54(3), 1997, pp. 233-241
Background: Relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) changes were
measured in Vietnam combat veterans with and without posttraumatic str
ess disorder (PTSD) during exposure to combat-related stimuli. Methods
: Positron emission tomography was used to measure rCBF in 7 combat ve
terans with PTSD (PTSD group) and 7 healthy combat veterans (control g
roup) who viewed and generated visual mental images of neutral, negati
ve, and combat-related pictures. Results: Unlike control subjects, sub
jects with PTSD had increased rCBF in ventral anterior cingulate gyrus
and right amygdala when generating mental images of combat-related pi
ctures; when viewing combat pictures, subjects with PTSD showed decrea
sed rCBF in Broca's area. Conclusions: Results suggest that ventral an
terior cingulate gyrus and right amygdala play a role in the response
of combat veterans with PTSD to mental images of combat-related scenes
. Reexperiencing phenomena of PTSD, which often involve emotional visu
al mental imagery, may be likewise associated with increased rCBF in t
hese regions.