News Hippocampal Volume And Resilience In Posttramatic Stress Disorder

[Abrasky]

Not sure if I can post here or not.
But I here is something I found in the news. Dead Link Removed

 

[anthony]

Everything to do with hippocampal size and PTSD, is all useless. There are studies that show:

• reduced hippocampal volume in people with PTSD
• reduced hippocampal volume without PTSD
• reduced hippocampal volume with combat trauma
• normal hippocampal volume with combat trauma
• reduced hippocampal volume with sexual abuse
• normal hippocampal volume with sexual abuse
• continue and apply to pretty much every type of abuse, complex trauma, etc.

The hippocampal size debate is completely useless nowadays, as not one single study has definitively proven it has anything to do with stress, anxiety, PTSD, etc, because for every person they find that is a positive, they find equal negatives. There is no majority to date, which excludes any definitive aspect to hippocampal volume.

Some people continue trying to create a name for themselves, when this area has been beaten to death in clinical testing, and now FMRI, PET & SPECT are all definitively showing inconclusive results for volume in combination with PTSD, stress, anxiety, etc.

 

[Abstract]

Interesting guys, thanks.

 

[anthony]

If you want to get even more specific, there are studies that show reduced hippocampal volume in children, with PTSD, without PTSD, and normal in children, with PTSD, without PTSD.

I get so sick of reading one study, then another that directly counters it, then meta analysis that smash a whole bunch for an average result of "inconclusive". Shaking head... :ninja:

 

[Abrasky]

:) Thanks for letting me know that Anthony. It's good to know what is the good info and what isn't.

 

[anthony]

I quickly learnt Maze... hence why I stopped posting studies or PTSD news long ago, because news with PTSD doesn't really just occur, it builds over years to either be empirical or not.

Its like the SGB... it became hype, now has all fizzled out because medicine wants answers... and that takes years. In a few years, we will be more likely to say with some substance, whether SGB is a treatment option or not for PTSD, or whether it was just a smoke screen that has now produced long term unbearable results for those who partook within early trials. It could be the solution for complete PTSD symptom removal... time will tell.

 

[ikop]

How can you explain my memory loss including visual memory , memory for words , for recent events and other cognitive defects I suffer after the PTSD ?. Never had blow to the had or tbi only PTSD

 

[anthony]

Even the experts are baffled to some degree about amnesia... but memory loss is also a perception vs. fact. Memory loss or chosen memory is not actually amnesia. Has the memory actually been lost? Has the memory only been fragmented? Fragmentation is also not totally understood by neuroscience to date, reading the latest 2010 data. They have plenty of theories, but nothing to substantially say, yes, this is it.

You also have absolute normal memory deficits prior to age 5, you also have our own perception on what we feel is important vs. unimportant at a given time, as to what we store for recollection vs. what we choose to disregard. They also have cited this theory in relation to fragmentation. They have cited this theory in regard to false memories, which plenty of studies have proved are easy to manipulate.

 

[ikop]

i am talking about decline in my memory skils , not related to trauma ,flashbacks , ets. not past memory .
i am talking about cognitive tests that i have done . i have moderate memory problems not present before , including visial spatial , memory for words , furgetfulness, slower thinking , and lots more of cognitive deficts i will not talking about here.
i had a highest 5% in israely test (before trauma ) parallel to amercan SAT . believe me.

 

[anthony]

The amygdala has been proven to decrease in size due to trauma, which directly affects memory, however; it has also been proven to return to full size if the use of memory exercises are performed.

The same with hippocampal volume, it can decrease and increase based on many things.

There is not one conclusive study though that outlines hippocampus or amygdala decrease is exclusive to trauma or PTSD, because the facts do not reflect such statements based on current neuroscience.

http://www.nsi.edu/index.php?page=iv_neuronal_plasticity

http://www.nsi.edu/index.php?page=scientific_programs

You can purchase all the neuroscience departments publications via Yale Press.

 

[Froggie]

I find that this information on neuro-plasticity very encouraging, it is something my Psy explained to me and it was also why she sent me to the EMI specialist with whom she works. I ordered a book (author Allan Shore) and will be getting it this week on neuro-plasticity. Another author is Antonio R. Damasio (title is in french, but look for the name Descartes in the title). It's one thing having ptsd, but it is another to find out what is going on with research and techniques to help improve this state of mental disrupt.

 

[Emilie]

Wow, very interesting. I love science, neuroscience in particular. Thanks for the sources, I will be using them!

I've been using lumosity (Brain Training website) for a week and a half now, I can see gradual improvement in certain areas of memory. I have problems still with spatial memory and memory flexibility. It's a very expensive site to use though...15 a month or 300$ For a lifetime. you can definitely tell when you start the programs that they aren't just easy, lame, games you could get off of any website. They really are memory intensive. They have a course keyed specifically for PTSD and I gotta say...Those games are not a walk in the park.