Shared and specific associations of amygdala nuclei volumes with PTSD symptom domains and childhood trauma: An ENIGMA-PGC PTSD mega-analysis.
Mary S Mufford, Dennis van der Meer, C Lexi Baird et al.
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In 30 seconds
This ENIGMA-PGC PTSD mega-analysis examined associations between nine amygdala nuclei volumes and PTSD-related measures in adults with PTSD (n = 771) and controls (n = 1 081, 72% trauma-exposed). Adjusted analyses found no significant association between PTSD diagnosis and nuclei volumes. Greater PTSD severity was associated with smaller right lateral nucleus volume (β = -0.26, p BON = 0.01). Smaller volumes in selected nuclei were also associated with symptom clusters, while larger central nucleus volumes were associated with childhood physical abuse and neglect.
Key findings
- PTSD diagnosis was not significantly associated with amygdala nuclei volumes.
- Greater PTSD severity was associated with smaller right lateral nucleus volume (β = -0.26, p BON = 0.01).
- Smaller right lateral nucleus volume was associated with re-experiencing (β = -1.01, p BON = 0.04) and arousal (β = -0.9, p BON = 0.04).
- Larger central nucleus volumes were associated with childhood physical abuse (left: β = 0.24, p BON = 9 × 10 -3) and neglect (right: β = 0.29, p BON = 0.04).
Why it matters
The absence of a diagnosis-level association alongside associations with symptom severity and specific symptom domains suggests that whole-diagnosis comparisons may obscure more selective neuroanatomical patterns. Examining amygdala nuclei separately may help characterize biological variation linked to PTSD symptoms and childhood trauma, while these findings remain associations rather than evidence of causation.
What to keep in mind
The analyses are observational and cannot establish that volume differences cause PTSD symptoms or reflect effects of trauma.