Stress and Memory 2

Question 1

PTSD Symptom Clusters

Answer 1

• Criterion A: stressor
• Criterion B: intrusion symptoms: the traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in the following way(s):(one required), Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories - - - Criterion C: avoidance:
• Criterion D: negative alterations in cognitions and mood: Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that began or worsened after the traumatic event:(two required) (e.g. Inability to recall key features of the traumatic event Persistent negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world
  Criterion E: alterations in arousal and reactivity:
  Criterion F: duration:
  Criterion G: functional significance

Question 2

Memory for traumatic events

Answer 2

Traumatic memory does not remain stable over time
Increase in propensity to endorse traumatic items predicts PTSD
Memory amplification: Unclear whether this is increasing or decreasing in accuracy

Question 3

Interfering with the trauma memory

Answer 3

Increased epinephrine is thought to mediate enhanced memory for emotional events.

Searing in of memory adrenergically mediated → Blocking (e.g. β – adrenergic blocker propranolol) interferes with memory formation.

Question 4

Symptom provocation studies

Answer 4

Show traumatic reminders to patients with PTSD, and investigate whether different patterns of brain activity are observed.

Question 5

Hyperactive Amygdala

Answer 5

Amygdala hyper-responsivity in PTSD has been reported during the presentation of personalized traumatic narratives (Shin et al., 2004) and cues (Driessen et al., 2004)

Question 6

mPFC

Answer 6

Involved in inhibitory control , underactive in PTSD patients (Lanius, Bluhm, Lanius, & Pain, 2005).
PTSD pathophysiology, specifically as failures of midline prefrontal regions to inhibit subcortical limbic, especially amygdala, reactivity

Question 7

Hippocampal Volume: Reduced in PTSD. Bremner et al

Answer 7

PTSD subjects had 8% smaller right hippocampus volume & poorer performance on verbal memory measurements (Wechsler Memory Scale).

22 female adult survivors of childhood abuse with PTSD (N = 10) or without PTSD (N = 12). PTSD had 15% smaller hippocampal volume than abuse subjects without PTSD. No difference in memory measures.

Question 8

Impaired safety memories

Answer 8

PTSD patients are not able to retain safety information (e.g. impaired extinction recall Milad et al., 2009).
> Can lead to the maintenance of fear memories