Regional cerebral blood flow in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether regional cerebral blood flow in survivors of torture suffering from post-traumatic stress dis order (PTSD) differed significantly from that in healthy controls. Method: We examined the cerebral regional distribution of 99mtechnetium-hexamethylp ropyleneamineoxime (HMPAO) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in 8 patients and in 8 healthy controls. A semiquantitative analys is was performed in which symmetrical regions of interest (ROI) were drawn in all subjects. Results: Regional blood flow was markedly more heterogeneo us in patients suffering from PTSD than in healthy controls. The difference s are significant. Conclusion: Severe psychological trauma induced by tortu re can cause neurobiologic alterations that may contribute, even years afte r the original trauma, to a number of complaints commonly expressed by pati ents suffering from PTSD. Copyright (C) 2001 S.Karger AG, Basel.