Mapping the Connectome Dynamics of Trauma Psychopathology

Introduction

Exposure to a traumatic event can induce psycho-physiological reactions and symptoms that, in most people, recede over time. A minority of trauma-exposed individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by severe functional and emotional impairment.

Global Impact of PTSD

The global burden of PTSD is estimated in the hundreds of billions of Euros and millions of years lived with disability. Individual differences in neurobiological vulnerability to traumatic stress have been studied extensively, yet the impact of neuroscience on clinical application is minimal.

Project Objectives

The proposed work aims to address this gap using three work packages (WPs):

1. WP1: Establish a detailed open-access database to study the impact of traumatic stress on brain structure/function connectome. This will include:

   • 1000 participants with PTSD
   • 1000 trauma-exposed healthy individuals
   • 1000 non-exposed individuals

2. WP2: Conduct a longitudinal study of the effects of trauma exposure. This will delineate long-term trajectories of stress-related symptoms and corresponding connectome dynamics. Building on already collected data from 579 veterans who were followed over four years, starting with a pre-exposure baseline, we will add two new data points at 7- and 9-year post-exposure to reveal long-term adaptation patterns.

3. WP3: Implement a 3-armed randomized controlled trial to test the impact of MRI-guided neurostimulation of cortico-hippocampal networks on brain connectivity patterns and severity of memory symptoms. We target cortico-hippocampal connections with broad impact on cortical circuitry, consistent with our focus on whole-brain connectome correlates.

Methodology

Moving beyond separate analyses of brain structure and function in relation to a heterogeneous definition of PTSD, we will use combined structure/function modeling in relation to specific symptoms.

Conclusion

Together, the proposed work is expected to redetermine the transaction between neuroscience and clinical research in relation to trauma psychopathology.