Investigating the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder in Black Americans and the moderating effects of racial discrimination

Authors

Kevin Petranu, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
E Kate Webb, Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
Carissa W. Tomas, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Farah Harb, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Lucas Torres, Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Terri A. deRoon-Cassini, Division of Trauma & Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Christine L. Larson, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

Recommended Citation

Petranu K, Webb EK, Tomas CW, et al. Investigating the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder in Black Americans and the moderating effects of racial discrimination. Transl Psychiatry. 2024;14(1):337. Published 2024 Aug 21. doi:10.1038/s41398-024-03050-3

Affiliations

Advocate Aurora Research Institute, Aurora Sinai, Milwaukee, WI

Abstract

Altered functioning of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) may play a critical role in the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Chronic stressors such as racial discrimination and lifetime trauma are associated with an increased risk for PTSD, but it is unknown whether they influence the relationship between BNST functioning and PTSD. We investigated acute post-trauma BNST resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) as a predictor of future PTSD symptoms in Black trauma survivors. We also examined whether racial discrimination and lifetime trauma moderated the relationship between BNST rsFC and PTSD symptoms. Black adults (N = 95; 54.7% female; mean age = 34.04) were recruited from an emergency department after experiencing a traumatic injury (72.6% were motor vehicle accidents). Two-weeks post-injury, participants underwent a resting-state fMRI scan and completed questionnaires evaluating their PTSD symptoms as well as lifetime exposure to racial discrimination and trauma. Six-months post-injury, PTSD symptoms were reassessed. Whole brain seed-to-voxel analyses were conducted to examine BNST rsFC patterns. Greater rsFC between the BNST and the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, left angular gyrus, and hippocampus prospectively predicted six-month PTSD symptoms after adjusting for sex, age, education, and baseline PTSD symptoms. Acute BNST rsFC was a stronger predictor of PTSD symptoms in individuals who experienced more racial discrimination and lifetime trauma. Thus, in the acute aftermath of a traumatic event, the BNST could be a key biomarker of risk for PTSD in Black Americans, particularly for individuals with a greater history of racial discrimination or previous trauma exposure.

Document Type

Article

PubMed ID

39169008