Social Buffering of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Longitudinal Effects and Neural Mediators
Recommended Citation
Santos JLC, Harnett NG, van Rooij SJH, Ely TD, Jovanovic T, Lebois LAM, Beaudoin FL, An X, Neylan TC, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Bollen KA, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PI, Jr., Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Harris E, Pearson C, Peak DA, Merchant RC, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, O'Neil BJ, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Bruce SE, Pizzagalli DA, Harte SE, Ressler KJ, Koenen KC, McLean SA, and Stevens JS. Social Buffering of PTSD: Longitudinal Effects and Neural Mediators. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2024.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-26-2024
Publication Title
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well-characterized psychiatric disorder that features changes in mood and arousal following traumatic events. Previous animal and human studies of social support during the peritraumatic window have demonstrated a buffering effect with regard to acute biological and psychological stress symptoms. Fewer studies have explored the magnitude of and mechanism through which early posttrauma social support can reduce longitudinal PTSD severity.
METHODS: In this study, we investigated the beneficial impact of social support on longitudinal PTSD symptoms and probed brain regions sensitive to this buffering phenomenon, such as the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In the multisite AURORA study, 315 participants reported PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) and perceived emotional support (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) at 2 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post emergency department visit. Additionally, neuroimaging data were collected at 2 weeks posttrauma.
RESULTS: We hypothesized that early posttrauma social support would be linked with greater fractional anisotropic values in white matter tracts that have known connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex and would predict reduced neural reactivity to social threat cues in the amygdala. Interestingly, while we observed greater fractional anisotropy in the bilateral cingulum and bilateral uncinate fasciculus as a function of early posttrauma emotional support, we also identified greater threat reactivity in the precuneus/posterior cingulate, a component of the default mode network.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the neurocircuitry underlying the response to social threat cues is facilitated through broader pathways that involve the posterior hub of the default mode network.
PubMed ID
39603414
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
