Background: During the post-World War II occupation of Austria, approximately 20,000-30,000 \'children born of war\' (CBOW), also called occupation children were born through intimate contacts between Austrian women and occupation soldiers. Research on other CBOW populations indicates that CBOW mostly grow up under difficult conditions, sometimes with strong long-term mental health consequences.Objective: To examine whether comparable psychosocial consequences can be found in Austrian occupation children (AOC), a first quantitative study was carried out.Method: Child maltreatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and somatization, and general life satisfaction were assessed in a sample of 98 AOC using self-report instruments. Results were compared to a sample of German occupation children (GOC; N = 146).Results: High prevalence of above threshold full (10.2%) and partial (14.3%) PTSD, somatic (16.3%) and depressive (11.1%) symptomatology were found in AOC. They were at high risk of child maltreatment (e.g. emotional abuse: 53.6%), which was associated with current symptomatology. Notably, AOC tended to report high levels of general life satisfaction. No differences were found between GOC and AOC.Conclusions: Findings highlight the complex and long-term effects of developmental conditions and childhood maltreatment on mental health of CBOW, even decades later. Findings of high life satisfaction provide evidence of resilience and maturation processes across the lifespan.
Austrian occupation children show a notable vulnerability to childhood maltreatment and its long-term consequences, including a high prevalence of above threshold PTSD, somatic, and depressive symptomatology.Findings on the psychosocial consequences of growing up as occupation children in Austria after World War II are consistent with previous studies in similar populations and can be generalized as more or less typical common experiences of children born of war.Despite psychological distress, occupation children showed surprising levels of life satisfaction, suggesting potential resilience.

Background: Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for developing multiple forms of psychopathology, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. Yet, the mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and these psychopathologies remain less clear.Objective: Here we examined whether self-stigma, the internalization of negative stereotypes about one\'s experiences, mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and symptom severity of depression, PTSD, and anxiety.Methods: Childhood trauma survivors (N = 685, Mage = 36.8) were assessed for childhood maltreatment, self-stigma, and symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety. We used mediation analyses with childhood maltreatment as the independent variable. We then repeated these mediation models separately for childhood abuse and neglect, as well as the different subtypes of childhood maltreatment.Results: Self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms. For sexual abuse - but not physical or emotional abuse - a significant mediation effect of self-stigma emerged on all symptom types. For childhood neglect, self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between both emotional and physical neglect and all symptom types.Conclusion: Our cross-sectional study suggests that different types of childhood maltreatment experiences may relate to distinct mental health problems, potentially linked to increased self-stigma. Self-stigma may serve as an important treatment target for survivors of childhood abuse and neglect.
Childhood maltreatment is linked to depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms.Self-stigma, or internalizing negative stereotypes, plays a significant role in mediating this relationship.Different types of maltreatment are linked to varying levels of self-stigma and symptom severity.

Background: Emerging evidence has linked childhood maltreatment with cardiovascular disease risk; however, the association between childhood maltreatment and cardiac arrhythmias remains unclear. Moreover, any genetic predispositions to atrial fibrillation (AF), a common cardiac arrhythmia associated with an elevated risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality, that modify such associations have been undocumented.Purpose: To examine the associations between childhood maltreatment and incident arrhythmias, and whether a genetic predisposition to arrhythmias modifies these associations.Methods: This prospective analysis included 151,741 participants from the UK Biobank (mean age 55.8 years, 43.4% male). Childhood maltreatment, including five types, was measured using the Childhood Trauma Screener (CTS). Incident arrhythmias (AF, ventricular arrhythmias [VA], and bradyarrhythmia [BA]) were documented through linked hospital admission and death registry. Weighted AF genetic risk score was calculated. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to test for associations between childhood maltreatment and incident arrhythmias.Results: During a median follow-up of 12.21 years (interquartile range, 11.49-12.90 years), 6,588 AF, 2,093 BA, and 742 VA events occurred. Compared with the absence of childhood maltreatment, having 3-5 types of childhood maltreatment was associated with an increased risk of incident AF (HR, 1.23; 95%CI 1.09-1.37), VA (HR, 1.39; 95%CI 1.03-1.89), and BA (HR, 1.32; 95%CI 1.09-1.61) after adjusting demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. The associations between cumulative type of childhood maltreatment and the risk of AF (Poverall < .001; Pnonlinear = .674) and BA (Poverall = .007; Pnonlinear = .377) demonstrated a linear pattern. There was a gradient association between childhood maltreatment and AF risks across the intermediate and high genetic risk groups (both Ptrend < .05) but not within the low genetic risk group (Ptrend = .378), irrespective of non-significant interaction effect (Pinteraction = .204).Conclusion: Childhood maltreatment was associated with higher risks of incident arrhythmias, especially AF and BA. Genetic risk of AF did not modify these associations.
Previous studies indicate that childhood maltreatment is associated with cardiovascular disease risk.Childhood maltreatment was associated with an increased risk of incident arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation and bradyarrhythmia. Genetic predisposition to atrial fibrillation did not significantly modify these associations.Childhood maltreatment could be a new psychological risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias in later life. Inquiries into childhood maltreatment and subsequent referral to psychological services may be helpful.

Background: While several studies documented a positive correlation between childhood maltreatment severity and dissociation severity, it is currently unknown whether specific dissociative symptoms cluster together among individuals with childhood trauma histories ranging from none to severe.Objective: We aimed to explore symptom constellations across the whole spectrum of dissociative processing from patients with severe dissociative disorders to healthy controls and relate these to maltreatment severity and sociodemographic characteristics.Methods: We employed latent profile analysis to explore symptom profiles based on five subscales, measuring absorption, depersonalization, derealization, somatoform and identity alteration, based on the 20 items of the German short version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (Fragebogen zu Dissoziativen Symptomen-20) in a large aggregate sample (n = 3,128) overrepresenting patients with trauma-related disorders. We then related these profiles to maltreatment severity as measured by the five subscales of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire as well as sociodemographic characteristics.Results: Based on the five FDS subscales, six clusters differentiated by symptom severity, but not symptom constellations, were identified. Somatoform dissociation varied in accordance with the remaining symptom clusters. The cluster with the highest overall symptom severity entailed nearly all subjects diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder and was characterized by extreme levels of childhood maltreatment. Both abuse and neglect were predictive of cluster membership throughout.Conclusions: The higher the severity of dissociative processing in a cluster, the more subjects reported high severity and multiplicity of childhood maltreatment. However, some subjects remain resilient to the development of dissociative processing although they experience extreme childhood maltreatment.
Dissociative symptoms, including identity alterations, are closely related to the severity of experienced childhood abuse.Somatoform dissociation occurs on all levels of overall dissociation severity.Some subjects with a history extreme childhood maltreatment do not develop dissociative symptoms, while some subjects with extreme dissociative symptoms do not report any childhood maltreatment.

Importance: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health issue requiring a deeper understanding of its underlying causes, such as childhood maltreatment, adult bullying victimization, and depression. Previous studies have not adequately addressed the cumulative risks of these factors on NSSI among college students. This population-based study investigates these cumulative risk factors.Design, setting, and participants: The cross-sectional study included 63 university\'s college students with a mean age of 19.6 years (N = 95,833).Main outcomes and measures: Two Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) decision tree models were used to classify subgroups based on childhood maltreatment and adult bullying victimization experiences and to investigate their cumulative risks of NSSI. Recursive partitioning algorithms determined each predictor variable\'s relative importance.Results: The CHAID model accurately predicted NSSI behaviours with an overall accuracy rate of 77.8% for individuals with clinically relevant depressive symptoms and 97.2% for those without. Among depressed individuals, childhood emotional abuse was the strongest NSSI predictor (Chi-Square, 650.747; adjusted P < .001), followed by sexual and physical abuse. For non-depressed individuals, emotional abuse in childhood was the strongest NSSI predictor (Chi-Square, 2084.171; adjusted P < .001), with sexual and verbal bullying in the past year representing the most significant proximal risks.Conclusions and relevance: Emotional abuse during childhood profoundly impacts individuals, increasing the risk of NSSI in both depressed and non-depressed individuals. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms have a moderating effect on the relationship between childhood maltreatment, adult bullying victimization, and NSSI. Identifying these factors can inform targeted interventions to prevent NSSI development among young adults.
Emotional abuse during childhood has a profound impact on individuals, increasing their risk of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), regardless of whether they are depressed or non-depressed.Among depressed individuals, childhood emotional abuse emerges as the strongest predictor of NSSI, followed by sexual and physical abuse.In non-depressed individuals, emotional abuse in childhood assumes a similar role as the strongest NSSI predictor, with sexual abuse and verbal bullying in the past year representing the most significant proximal risks.

Background: Childhood trauma has negative immediate and long-term impacts on depression. Questions remain, however, regarding the cognitive factors influencing this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the role of three cognitive factors - cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination and social problem-solving - as mediating factors in the relationship between childhood trauma and symptoms of depression.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Iran from March to July 2023. Participants (N = 227; Mean age 32.44 ± 8.95 years) with depression completed measures of childhood trauma, depression, self-overgeneralisation, cognitive errors, memory specificity, rumination and social problem-solving. The conceptual model was assessed using structural equation modelling.Results: Structural equation modelling indicated that childhood trauma had a positive direct effect on depression symptoms. Childhood trauma had a positive indirect effect on depression symptoms through both self-overgeneralisation and rumination and a negative indirect effect on depression through effective social problem-solving strategies.Conclusions: The findings suggest increased exposure to childhood trauma may be associated with elevated depression and self-overgeneralisation, rumination, and effective social problem-solving strategies may play an important role in this relationship. These findings hold potential implications for those working with patients with depression and a history of childhood trauma.
Since the relationship between childhood trauma and depression is not straightforward, the study addresses a significant gap in the understanding of the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms by focusing on cognitive factors as potential mediators among depressed patients.Childhood trauma not only has a direct positive effect on depression symptoms but also indirectly influences depression through self-overgeneralisation and rumination, which contribute to elevated depression, while effective social problem-solving strategies act as a protective factor, leading to decreased depression symptoms.The significance of above cognitive overgeneralisation factors in shaping the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms suggests that therapeutic interventions targeting these cognitive factors might be hold promise in improving mental health outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Violence is a public health problem, and when it affects childhood, it can cause illness throughout the individual\'s life. Apart from being able to cause damage in the physical, mental and social spheres, it represents a violation of the rights of the affected children, and a high consumption of resources, both economic and social. A multitude of investigations have improved attention to this violence. However, these advances are not consistent with the practical management of victims, both in Primary and Hospital Care. There is a significant area of improvement for paediatric care. Through this article, different professionals from all established paediatric health care facilities develop general lines of knowledge and action regarding violence against children. An overview is taken of the legislation related to childhood, the different types of abuse that exist, their effects, management and prevention. It concludes with an epilogue, through which we aim to move sensibilities. In summary, this work aims to promote the training and awareness of all professionals specialized in children\'s health, so that they pursue the goal of achieving their patients\' greatest potential in life, and in this way, to help create a healthier society, with less disease, and more justice.

Background: Post-traumatic growth (PTG) and resilience, regarded as positive psychological change following a traumatic experience, are under-researched across cultures in people exposed to child maltreatment (CM).Objective: We investigated how experiences and the perceived acceptability of CM are related to resilience and PTG in countries with different cultures, living standards, and gross national income.Method: A total of 478 adults from Cameroon (n = 111), Canada (n = 137), Japan (n = 108), and Germany (n = 122) completed an online survey with self-reported questionnaires, including the Brief Resilience Scale and the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form.Results: Across countries, self-reported male gender and age were positively associated with resilience, while experiences of physical abuse and emotional maltreatment were negatively associated with resilience. Experiences of emotional maltreatment were positively associated with PTG. Higher levels of PTG and resilience were found amongst Cameroonian participants as compared to other countries.Conclusion: Our results suggest that positive changes following CM can vary significantly across cultures and that experiences of specific CM subtypes, but not the perceived acceptability of CM, may be important for a deeper understanding of how individuals overcome trauma and develop salutogenic outcomes. Our findings may inform CM intervention programmes for an enhanced cultural sensitivity.
Across the four countries (Canada, Cameroon, Germany, Japan), more experiences of physical abuse and emotional maltreatment were associated with lower resilience; more experiences of emotional maltreatment were associated with greater post-traumatic growth.Higher levels of post-traumatic growth and resilience were found in Cameroon as compared to other countries.Positive changes following child maltreatment vary across cultures and experiences of specific child maltreatment subtypes, but the perceived acceptability of child maltreatment did not exert an influence on salutogenic post-traumatic outcomes.

For new fathers, parenting stress is a risk factor for impaired early parenting and child maltreatment perpetration. Predictors of parenting stress, including fathers\' own experiences of trauma, could be useful intervention targets to support new fathers. We aim to examine associations between new fathers\' own histories of child maltreatment, and their perinatal mental health, relationships, and parenting stress. We recruited 298 first-time fathers for a survey that measured child maltreatment history, trauma sequelae including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), interpersonal reactivity, substance use, anger expression, coparenting quality, and parenting stress. On the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) (from 36 to 180), bivariate analysis demonstrated that new fathers who experienced child maltreatment (n = 94) had significantly higher parenting stress (x̅ = 85.3, σ = 18.7) than those who did not (n = 204; x̅ = 76.0, σ = 16.6; P < .000). Hierarchical linear regression modeling indicated that a child maltreatment history, PTSD, and MDD were significantly associated with parenting stress. The strongest predictors of parenting stress were coparenting quality and complex trauma sequelae-interpersonal reactivity and anger expression. Interventions to reduce fathers\' parenting stress by targeting known mental health and relationship sequelae of maltreatment are promising avenues to breaking intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment and psychiatric vulnerability.
Para nuevos papás, el estrés de crianza es un factor de riesgo para la deficiente crianza temprana y para cometer maltrato infantil. Los factores de predicción del estrés de crianza, incluyendo las propias experiencias de trauma de los papás, pueden ser útiles metas de intervención para apoyar a los nuevos papás. Nos propusimos examinar las asociaciones entre las propias historias de maltrato de los nuevos papás, y su salud mental perinatal, relaciones y estrés de crianza. Reclutamos 298 papás primerizos para una encuesta que medía la historia de maltrato infantil, la secuela de trauma incluyendo el trastorno de estrés postraumático (PTSD), el trastorno depresivo serio (MDD), la reactividad interpersonal, el uso de sustancias, la expresión de ira, la calidad de la crianza compartida, así como el estrés de crianza. En el Índice de Estrés de Crianza (de 36-180), los análisis bivariantes demostraron que los nuevos papás que habían experimentado maltrato infantil (N = 94) tenían significativamente un mayor estrés de crianza (x̅ = 85.3, σ = 18.7) que aquellos que no habían tenido tal experiencia (N = 204; x̅ = 76.0, σ = 16.6; P<.000). El modelo de regresión lineal jerárquica indicó que una historia de maltrato infantil, PTSD y MDD estaban significativamente asociados con el estrés de crianza. Los más fuertes factores de predicción del estrés de crianza fueron la calidad de la crianza compartida y la compleja secuela de trauma-la reactividad interpersonal y la expresión de la ira. Las intervenciones para reducir el estrés de crianza de los papás por medio del enfoque en la salud mental conocida y las secuelas en la relación del maltrato son una vía prometedora para romper la transmisión intergeneracional del maltrato infantil y la vulnerabilidad siquiátrica.
Pour les nouveaux pères le stress de parentage est un facteur de risque pour le parentage précoce compromis et la perpétration de maltraitance de l\'enfant. Les prédicteurs de stress de parentage, y compris les propres expériences de trauma des pères, pourraient être des cicles d\'intervention utiles afin de soutenir les nouveaux pères. Nous nous sommes donné pour but d\'examiner les liens entre le propre passé de maltraitance de l\'enfant des nouveaux pères et leur santé mentale périnatale, leurs relations et le stress de parentage. Nous avons recruté 298 nouveaux pères (pères pour la première fois) pour un sondage mesurant l\'histoire de la maltraitance de l\'enfant, les séquelles de trauma y compris les troubles de stress post-traumatique (TSPT), les troubles dépressifs majeurs (MDD en anglais), la réactivité interpersonnelle, la toxicomanie, l\'expression de colère et la qualité du co-parentage ainsi que le stress parental. Pour l\'Index de Stress de Parentage (de 36-180), une analyse bivariée a montré que les nouveaux pères qui avaient fait l\'expérience de maltraitance de l\'enfance (N = 94) avaient un stress de parentage bien plus élevé (x̅ = 85,3, σ = 18,7) que ceux n\'en ayant pas fait l\'expérience (N = 204; x̅ = 76,0, σ = 16,6; P<,000). Un modèle de régression linéaire hiérarchique a indiqué qu\'un passé de maltraitance de l\'enfant, le TSPT et le MDD étaient fortement liés au stress de parentage. Les facteurs de prédiction les plus forts de stress de parentage étaient la qualité du co-parentage et les séquelles de trauma complexes - réactivité interpersonnelle et l\'expression de la colère. Les interventions pour réduire le stress de parentage des pères en ciblant la santé mentale connue et les séquelles de maltraitance sont un chemin prometteur pour casser la transmission intergénérationnelle de la maltraitance de l\'enfant et la vulnérabilité psychiatrique.
Bei jungen Vätern ist elterlicher Stress ein Risikofaktor für eine beeinträchtigte Elternkompetenz in der ersten Zeit nach der Geburt und die Misshandlung ihrer Kinder. Prädiktoren für elterlichen Stress, einschließlich eigener Traumaerfahrungen der Väter, könnten nützliche Interventionsziele zur Unterstützung von Vätern in der Zeit nach der Geburt sein. Wir wollen Zusammenhänge zwischen Kindesmisshandlung in ihrer eigenen Vergangenheit und der perinatalen psychischen Gesundheit, den Beziehungen sowie dem elterlichen Stress junger Väter untersuchen. Wir haben 298 erstmalige Väter für eine Umfrage rekrutiert, in der Kindesmisshandlung in ihrer Vergangenheit, Traumafolgen einschließlich posttraumatischer Belastungsstörung (PTSD), Major Depression (MDD), zwischenmenschlicher Reaktivität, Substanzkonsum, Wutausbrüche, Qualität der Co-Elternschaft sowie elterlicher Stress gemessen wurden. Die bivariate Analyse des Elternstress-Index (von 36-180) zeigte, dass junge Väter, die Kindesmisshandlung erlebt hatten (N = 94), einen signifikant höheren elterlichen Stress (x̅ = 85,3, σ = 18,7) aufwiesen als Väter, die dies nicht erlebt hatten (N = 204; x̅ = 76,0, σ = 16,6; P<.000). Die hierarchische lineare Regressionsmodellierung ergab, dass Kindesmisshandlung in der Vergangenheit, PTBS und MDD signifikant mit elterlichem Stress assoziiert waren. Die stärksten Prädiktoren für elterlichen Stress waren die Qualität der Co-Elternschaft und komplexe Traumafolgen - zwischenmenschliche Reaktivität und Wutausbrüche. Interventionen zur Verringerung des elterlichen Stresses bei Vätern, die auf bekannte Folgen von Misshandlung auf die psychische Gesundheit und Beziehung abzielen, sind ein vielversprechender Weg, um die intergenerationale Übertragung von Kindesmisshandlung und psychiatrischer Vulnerabilität zu unterbrechen.
对于新手父亲来说, 育儿压力是影响早期育儿和儿童虐待的一个风险因素。育儿压力的预测因素, 包括父亲自身的创伤经历, 可能成为支持新手父亲的有益干预目标。我们旨在研究新手父亲自身的儿童虐待史与其产前心理健康、人际关系和育儿压力之间的关联。我们招募了298名初为人父的男性参与调查, 测量内容包括儿童虐待史、创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 、重度抑郁障碍 (MDD) 、人际反应能力、药物使用、愤怒表达、共同育儿质量和育儿压力。在育儿压力指数 (36-180) 上进行双变量分析显示, 经历过儿童虐待的新手父亲 (N = 94) 的育儿压力 (x̅ = 85.3, σ = 18.7) 显著高于没有经历过儿童虐待的父亲 (N = 204; x̅ = 76.0, σ = 16.6; P<.000) 。分层线性回归模型表明, 儿童虐待史、PTSD和MDD与育儿压力显著相关。育儿压力的最有力预测因素是共同育儿质量和复杂的创伤后遗症, 包括人际反应能力和愤怒表达。针对已知与虐待相关的心理健康和人际关系后遗症, 采取干预措施来减轻父亲的育儿压力, 是打破代际传递儿童虐待和心理脆弱性的一条有希望的途径。.
بالنسبة للآباء الجدد ، فإن الإجهاد الأبوي هو عامل خطر لضعف الأبوة المبكرة وسوء معاملة الأطفال. يمكن أن تكون عمليات التنبؤ بالإجهاد الأبوي ، بما في ذلك تجارب الآباء مع الصدمات ، أهدافاً مفيدة للتدخلات لدعم الآباء الجدد. نهدف في هذه الدراسة إلى تناول الارتباطات بين تاريخ الآباء الجدد أنفسهم من حيث التعرض لسوء المعاملة في الطفولة ، وصحتهم النفسية في الفترة المحيطة بالولادة ، والعلاقات ، والإجهاد الأبوي. اشترك في الدراسة 298 من الآباء لأول مرة لإجراء مسح يقيس تاريخ سوء معاملة الأطفال ، وعواقب الصدمة بما في ذلك اضطراب ما بعد الصدمة (PTSD) ، والاضطراب الاكتئابي الرئيسي (MDD) ، والتفاعل الشخصي ، وتعاطي المخدرات ، والتعبير عن الغضب ، وجودة التربية ، والإجهاد الأبوي. في مؤشر الإجهاد الأبوي (من 36-180) ، أظهر التحليل ثنائي المتغير أن الآباء الجدد الذين عانوا من سوء معاملة الأطفال(N = 94) لديهم إجهاد أبوي أعلى بكثير σ = 18.7) = 85.3, x̅(من المجموعة الأخرى = 76.0, x̅(N = 204; P<.000)σ = 16.6; .و أشارت نمذجة الانحدار الخطي الهرمي إلى أن عوامل تاريخ سوء معاملة الطفل ، واضطراب ما بعد الصدمة ، و الاضطراب الاكتئابي ارتبطت بشكل كبير بالإجهاد الأبوي. كانت أقوى العوامل التي تنبئ بالإجهاد الأبوي هي جودة التربية المشتركة وعواقب الصدمة المعقدة - التفاعل الشخصي والتعبير عن الغضب. تعتبر التدخلات للحد من ضغوط التربية الأبوية من خلال استهداف العواقب المعروفة للصحة النفسية وسوء المعاملة وسيلة واعدة لكسر الانتقال بين الأجيال لسوء معاملة الأطفال والضعف النفسي.

Background: Early trauma predicts poor psychological and physical health. Glutamatergic synaptic processes offer one avenue for understanding this relationship, given glutamate\'s abundance and involvement in reward and stress sensitivity, emotion, and learning. Trauma-induced glutamatergic excitotoxicity may alter neuroplasticity and approach/avoidance tendencies, increasing risk for psychiatric disorders. Studies examine upstream or downstream effects instead of glutamatergic synaptic processes in vivo, limiting understanding of how trauma affects the brain.Objective: In a pilot study using a previously published data set, we examine associations between early trauma and a proposed measure of synaptic strength in vivo in one of the largest human samples to undergo Carbon-13 (13C MRS) magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Participants were 18 healthy controls and 16 patients with PTSD (male and female).Method: Energy per cycle (EPC), which represents the ratio of neuronal oxidative energy production to glutamate neurotransmitter cycling, was generated as a putative measure of glutamatergic synaptic strength.Results: Results revealed that early trauma was positively correlated with EPC in individuals with PTSD, but not in healthy controls. Increased synaptic strength was associated with reduced behavioural inhibition, and EPC showed stronger associations between reward responsivity and early trauma for those with higher EPC.Conclusion: In the largest known human sample to undergo 13C MRS, we show that early trauma is positively correlated with EPC, a direct measure of synaptic strength. Our study findings have implications for pharmacological treatments thought to impact synaptic plasticity, such as ketamine and psilocybin.
Abnormalities in the strength of synaptic connections have been implicated in trauma and trauma-related disorders but not directly examined.We used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate the association between early trauma and an in vivo measure of synaptic strength.For people with posttraumatic stress disorder, as early trauma severity increased, synaptic strength increased, highlighting the potential for treatments thought to change synaptic connections in trauma-related disorders.