Strong correlation of novel sleep electroencephalography coherence markers with diagnosis and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT: Objective biomarkers of the presence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are elusive, yet badly needed. Electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence represents a promising approach to identifying and understanding brain biomarker activity in PTSD. Overnight polysomnography data containing EEG across sleep and wake states was collected in n?=?76 Veterans with and without PTSD from a single site under IRB approval. Brain coherence markers (BCM) were calculated from EEG signals using a novel approach to produce one index for PTSD diagnosis (PTSD_dx), and another index for PTSD severity (PTSD_sev). PTSD_dx showed strong sensitivity to the presence of PTSD in the awake state, during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage N2 sleep, and in a hybrid BCM incorporating both awake and NREM sleep states. PTSD_sev showed a strong correlation with PTSD symptom severity (using the PTSD Checklist 5, or PCL5 survey) in the awake state, during N2 sleep, and in a hybrid BCM incorporating both awake and NREM sleep states. Thus, sleep EEG-based brain coherence markers can be utilized as an objective means for determining the presence and severity of PTSD. This portable, inexpensive, and non-invasive tool holds promise for better understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and for tracking objective responses to treatment.

SUBMITTER: Modarres MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6414519 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature