Biological embedding of early trauma: the role of higher prefrontal synaptic strength
Lihong Jiang, Amanda J. F. Tamman, Christopher L. Averill, Graeme F. Mason, Lynnette A. Averill, Chadi G. Abdallah
European Journal of Psychotraumatology August 29, 2023 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2246338 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | Healthy controls and patients with PTSD (male and female) |
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Glutamatergic Glutamate receptor Excitotoxicity Neurotransmitter Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key points | Early trauma positively correlates with glutamatergic synaptic strength (EPC) in individuals with PTSD, but not in healthy controls. |
Abstract
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.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin. Healthy volunteers (7 female, 5 male) | 2020 | Open-label pilot study | n = 12 |
| Psilocybin therapy increases cognitive and neural flexibility in patients with major depressive disorder. Patients with major depressive disorder | 2021 | Open-label study | n = 24 |
| Neural correlates of reduction in self-judgment after mindful self-compassion training: A pilot study with resting state fMRI. Adult patients with anxiety or depressive disorders | 2025 | Single arm pilot study | n = 24 |
| Brain-targeted epigenetic effects of two emerging psychoplastogens: ketamine & MDMA Clinical trial participants | 2026 | Clinical trial | n = 36 |
| Ketamine-enhanced psychotherapy for smoking cessation: A pilot study of feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes. Cigarette smokers aged 29-64 with tobacco use disorder and a history of unsuccessful... | 2026 | Open-label pilot study | n = 7 |
Citations in the library
Cites 10
- Psilocybin induces rapid and persistent growth of dendritic spines in frontal cortex in vivo Neuron July 5, 2021
- Harnessing psilocybin: antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 13, 2021
- Effects of psilocybin on hippocampal neurogenesis and extinction of trace fear conditioning Experimental Brain Research June 1, 2013
- Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences September 24, 2021
- Effect of Psilocybin and Ketamine on Brain Neurotransmitters, Glutamate Receptors, DNA and Rat Behavior International Journal of Molecular Sciences June 16, 2022
and 5 more in the library