Childhood trauma experiences and genetic interactions effect on neural networks

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10340
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUMOTO Kentaro 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (00514407)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 八木 淳子 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (80636035)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: トラウマ体験 / 拡散尖度画像 / 神経発達障害仮説

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) was performed on children attending a child psychiatric clinic to test whether the presence or absence of a traumatic experience affects the changes in white matter axonal organization. However, we recruited participants throughout the research period, but had difficulty enrolling a healthy group of children who had not experienced trauma, so we decided to reexamine the analysis and examine the changes before and after cognitive therapy was administered to children who had experienced trauma. Consent to participate in the study was obtained from 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls with a median age of 14 years) who had experienced trauma. Analysis showed a significant increase in MK (mean kurtosis) and KR (radial kurtosis) values after treatment compared to before and after treatment.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

統合失調症を一例に挙げると、治療介入時期が早期であるほど、予後が良好であることが知られている。早期介入に際し、発症脆弱性獲得のメカニズムやそのエンドフェノタイプを同定する必要があるが、いまだ研究途上である。本研究のテーマであるトラウマ体験が神経ネットワーク形成へ与える影響が明らかになり、バイオマーカーとして応用できるようになれば、今後の早期介入戦略において有益であると考える。