Childhood abuse and white matter integrity in bipolar disorder patients and healthy controls

Childhood trauma has a negative impact on the developing brain and increases the risk for almost all psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder. White matter abnormalities may play a role in the persistently increased risk for bipolar disorder following childhood trauma.We therefore examined the influence of childhood abuse and neglect on white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), quantified as fractional anisotropy (FA), in patients with bipolar I disorder (N = 251) and healthy controls (N = 163).

Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology - June 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Remi Stevelink, Lucija Abramovic, Sanne Verkooijen, Marieke J.H. Begemann, Iris E.C. Sommer, Marco P. Boks, Rene C.W. Mandl, Neeltje E.M. van Haren, Christiaan H. Vinkers Source Type: research