Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with executive functioning deficits, including disruptions in working memory (WM). Recent studies suggest that attention training reduces PTSD symptomatology, but the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. We used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate whether attention training modulates brain regions serving WM processing in PTSD. Fourteen veterans with PTSD completed a WM task during a 306-sensor MEG recording before and after 8 sessions of attention training treatment. A matched comparison sample of 12 combat-exposed veterans without PTSD completed the same WM task during a single MEG session. To identify the spatiotemporal dynamics, each group’s data were transformed into the time-frequency domain, and significant oscillatory brain responses were imaged using a beamforming approach. All participants exhibited activity in left hemispheric language areas consistent with a verbal WM task. Additionally, veterans with PTSD and combat-exposed healthy controls each exhibited oscillatory responses in right hemispheric homologue regions (e.g., right Broca’s area); however, these responses were in opposite directions. Group differences in oscillatory activity emerged in the theta band (4–8 Hz) during encoding and in the alpha band (9–12 Hz) during maintenance and were significant in right prefrontal and right supramarginal and inferior parietal regions. Importantly, following attention training, these significant group differences were reduced or eliminated. This study provides initial evidence that attention training improves aberrant neural activity in brain networks serving WM processing.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1140-1149 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2016 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Attention
- Cognitive control
- Prefrontal cortex
- Working memory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Attention training improves aberrant neural dynamics during working memory processing in veterans with PTSD. / McDermott, Timothy J.; Badura-Brack, Amy S.; Becker, Katherine M.; Ryan, Tara J.; Bar-Haim, Yair; Pine, Daniel S.; Khanna, Maya M.; Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth C; Wilson, Tony W.
In: Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol. 16, No. 6, 01.12.2016, p. 1140-1149.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Attention training improves aberrant neural dynamics during working memory processing in veterans with PTSD
AU - McDermott, Timothy J.
AU - Badura-Brack, Amy S.
AU - Becker, Katherine M.
AU - Ryan, Tara J.
AU - Bar-Haim, Yair
AU - Pine, Daniel S.
AU - Khanna, Maya M.
AU - Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth C
AU - Wilson, Tony W
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with executive functioning deficits, including disruptions in working memory (WM). Recent studies suggest that attention training reduces PTSD symptomatology, but the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. We used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate whether attention training modulates brain regions serving WM processing in PTSD. Fourteen veterans with PTSD completed a WM task during a 306-sensor MEG recording before and after 8 sessions of attention training treatment. A matched comparison sample of 12 combat-exposed veterans without PTSD completed the same WM task during a single MEG session. To identify the spatiotemporal dynamics, each group’s data were transformed into the time-frequency domain, and significant oscillatory brain responses were imaged using a beamforming approach. All participants exhibited activity in left hemispheric language areas consistent with a verbal WM task. Additionally, veterans with PTSD and combat-exposed healthy controls each exhibited oscillatory responses in right hemispheric homologue regions (e.g., right Broca’s area); however, these responses were in opposite directions. Group differences in oscillatory activity emerged in the theta band (4–8 Hz) during encoding and in the alpha band (9–12 Hz) during maintenance and were significant in right prefrontal and right supramarginal and inferior parietal regions. Importantly, following attention training, these significant group differences were reduced or eliminated. This study provides initial evidence that attention training improves aberrant neural activity in brain networks serving WM processing.
AB - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with executive functioning deficits, including disruptions in working memory (WM). Recent studies suggest that attention training reduces PTSD symptomatology, but the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. We used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate whether attention training modulates brain regions serving WM processing in PTSD. Fourteen veterans with PTSD completed a WM task during a 306-sensor MEG recording before and after 8 sessions of attention training treatment. A matched comparison sample of 12 combat-exposed veterans without PTSD completed the same WM task during a single MEG session. To identify the spatiotemporal dynamics, each group’s data were transformed into the time-frequency domain, and significant oscillatory brain responses were imaged using a beamforming approach. All participants exhibited activity in left hemispheric language areas consistent with a verbal WM task. Additionally, veterans with PTSD and combat-exposed healthy controls each exhibited oscillatory responses in right hemispheric homologue regions (e.g., right Broca’s area); however, these responses were in opposite directions. Group differences in oscillatory activity emerged in the theta band (4–8 Hz) during encoding and in the alpha band (9–12 Hz) during maintenance and were significant in right prefrontal and right supramarginal and inferior parietal regions. Importantly, following attention training, these significant group differences were reduced or eliminated. This study provides initial evidence that attention training improves aberrant neural activity in brain networks serving WM processing.
KW - Attention
KW - Cognitive control
KW - Prefrontal cortex
KW - Working memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84990929591&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84990929591&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3758/s13415-016-0459-7
DO - 10.3758/s13415-016-0459-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 27722837
AN - SCOPUS:84990929591
VL - 16
SP - 1140
EP - 1149
JO - Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience
JF - Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience
SN - 1530-7026
IS - 6
ER -