Traumatic events can produce emotional, cognitive and autonomous physical responses. This may ultimately lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychiatric syndrome which requires comprehensive treatment. Trauma exposure alters functional connectivity; however, onset and nature of these changes are unknown. Here, we explore functional connectivity changes at rest directly after experimental trauma exposure. Seventy-three healthy subjects watched either a trauma or a control film. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements were conducted before and directly after the film. Seed-based analyses revealed trauma-related changes in functional connectivity, specifically including decreases of connectivity between amygdala and middle temporal gyrus and increases between hippocampus and precuneus. These central effects were accompanied by trauma-related increases in heart rate. Moreover, connectivity between the amygdala and middle temporal gyrus predicted subsequent trauma-related valence. Our results demonstrate rapid functional connectivity changes in memory-related brain regions at rest after experimental trauma, selectively relating to changes in emotions evoked by the trauma manipulation. Results could represent an early predictive biomarker for the development of trauma-related PTSD and thus provide an indication for the need of early targeted preventive interventions.

创伤性事件可以产生情绪、认知和自主的身体反应。这可能最终导致创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD)，这是一种需要综合治疗的精神综合征。创伤暴露会改变功能连接；然而，这些变化的起因和性质尚不清楚。在这里，我们在实验性创伤暴露后直接探索休息时的功能连接变化。七十三名健康受试者观看了创伤或对照电影。静息状态功能磁共振成像测量是在胶片之前和之后直接进行的。基于种子的分析揭示了与创伤相关的功能连接变化，特别是包括杏仁核和颞中回之间的连接减少以及海马和楔前叶之间的连接增加。这些中心效应伴随着与创伤相关的心率增加。此外，杏仁核和颞中回之间的连通性预测了随后的创伤相关效价。我们的研究结果表明，在实验性创伤后，与记忆相关的大脑区域在休息时会发生快速的功能连接变化，选择性地与创伤操作引起的情绪变化相关。结果可以代表创伤相关 PTSD 发展的早期预测生物标志物，从而为早期有针对性的预防干预的需要提供指示。我们的研究结果表明，在实验性创伤后，与记忆相关的大脑区域在休息时会发生快速的功能连接变化，选择性地与创伤操作引起的情绪变化相关。结果可以代表创伤相关 PTSD 发展的早期预测生物标志物，从而为早期有针对性的预防干预的需要提供指示。我们的研究结果表明，在实验性创伤后，与记忆相关的大脑区域在休息时会发生快速的功能连接变化，选择性地与创伤操作引起的情绪变化相关。结果可以代表创伤相关 PTSD 发展的早期预测生物标志物，从而为早期有针对性的预防干预的需要提供指示。