Abstract #2621

Cortical demyelination in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder: A study of World Trade Center responders

Juin W. Zhou¹, Chuan Huang^1,2, Kritikos Minos³, Sean A.P. Clouston³, Megan K. Horton⁴, Roman Kotov⁵, Roberto G. Lucchini^6,7, Evelyn J. Bromet⁵, and Benjamin J. Luft^8,9

¹Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ²Radiology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ³Family, Population, and Preventative Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁴Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States, ⁵Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁶Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States, ⁷Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy, ⁸Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁹Stony Brook WTC Wellness Program, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Neurodegeneration, Psychiatric DisordersWorld Trade Center (WTC) responders are at mid-life, with 23% presenting with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Epidemiologic studies suggest that chronic PTSD is associated with psychomotor slowing and physical functional limitations consistent with intracortical neuroinflammation. Prior neuroimaging has suggested that chronic PTSD is associated with glial activation and reduced cortical complexity, as well as neurodegeneration in the hippocampus and anterior cingulate, suggestive of PTSD-induced cortical neuropathology. Hypothesizing that these results might reduce intercortical density, we evaluated intercortical demyelination in WTC responders with chronic PTSD. We used gray-white contrast purported to measure cortical demyelination and, by extension, interneuronal health.

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