Neurobiological Alterations in Females with PTSD: A Systematic Review

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on material published in Frontiers in Psychology and is available as an open-access article. Most females experience at least one traumatic event in their lives, but not all develop PTSD. Despite considerable research, our understanding of the key factors that constitute a risk for PTSD among females is limited. Previous research has largely focused on sex differences, neglecting within-group comparisons, thereby obviating differences between females who do and do not develop PTSD following exposure to trauma. In this systematic review, we conducted a search for the extent of existing research utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine neurobiological differences among females of all ages, with and without PTSD. Only studies of females who met the full diagnostic criteria for PTSD were included. Fifty-six studies were selected and reviewed. We synthesized here findings from structural MRI (sMRI), functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC MRI) studies, comparing females with and without PTSD. A range of biopsychosocial constructs that may leave females vulnerable to PTSD were discussed. First, the ways timing and type of exposure to trauma may impact PTSD risk were discussed. Second, the key role that cognitive and behavioral mechanisms may play in PTSD was described, including rumination and deficient fear extinction. Third, the role of specific symptom patterns and common comorbidities in female-specific PTSD was described, as well as sex-specific implications on treatment and parenting outcomes. We concluded by identifying areas for future research to address the need to better understand developmental aspects of brain alterations, the differential impact of trauma types and timing, the putative role of the neuroendocrine system in the neurobiology of PTSD among females, and the impact of social and cultural factors on neurobiology in females with PTSD. This course on neurobiological changes caused by post-traumatic stress disorder is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced-level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of neurobiological changes caused by posttraumatic stress disorder. The course material includes a literature review of research. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading, and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Eder-Moreau, Zhu, Fisch, Bergman, Neria, Helpman Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding neurobiological changes caused by posttraumatic stress disorder. Specifically, a professional will: Identify risk factors that may contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder in females Recognize neurobiological symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in females Describe the prognosis for recovery for females with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder Citation: Eder-Moreau, E., Zhu, X., Fisch, C.T., Bergman, M., Neria, Y., Helpman, L. Neurobiological Alterations in Females With PTSD: A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Jun 13;13:862476. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.862476. PMID: 35770056; PMCID: PMC9234306.