Defining neuromodulation targets for PTSD using neuroimaging

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychiatric condition that affects 6-8% of the general population and 30-46% of military or highly traumatized urban populations. Different neuromodulation techniques are currently investigated as treatment for PTSD, but exact mechanisms and most effective targets for PTSD are still largely unknown. In this talk, Dr. van Rooij will discuss the neurobiology of PTSD and present data from the Grady Trauma Project, a large study on stress and trauma in an underserved urban population recruited from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Neuroimaging correlates of treatment non-response will be reviewed next and used to inform potential novel targets for neuromodulation. Finally, new studies on neurosurgical interventions and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for PTSD will be presented.