The interaction effect of early trauma exposure and a diagnosis of panic disorder on cortical thickness.

BACKGROUND

Early trauma (ET) is a risk factor for adult psychiatric disorders. ET exposure is known to cause structural brain alterations, particularly in the fronto-temporo-limbic circuitry. ET-related effects on brain development may differ based on individual characteristics and cause different psychiatric outcomes. We investigated the interaction effect of ET exposure and panic disorder (PD) on cortical thickness.

METHODS

Sixty-six participants with PD and 66 healthy controls were enrolled. High-resolution T1-weighted images were acquired, and a whole-brain vertex-based analysis was performed to estimate cortical thickness. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form, Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised, Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were administered.

RESULTS

There was a significant interaction between ET exposure and PD on the mean cortical thickness in the bilateral insula and right pars triangularis. An exploratory correlational analysis revealed a positive correlation between the mean cortical thickness in the left insula and severity of anxiety sensitivity to cardiovascular symptoms in participants with PD.

LIMITATIONS: Our findings may be affected by recall bias because this study is limited by its retrospective cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that ET exposure may affect brain structures differently based on a diagnosis of PD. Furthermore, individual variations in brain alterations after ET may confer trait vulnerability that triggers the development of PD. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ET and psychiatric outcomes.