A Longitudinal 1H-MRS Study of the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus in Child and Adolescent Victims of Multiple Forms of Violence.

In this pediatric population, anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine and choline/creatine were not affected by posttraumatic stress and on average these metabolites remained stable over time. However, the study provided intriguing preliminary evidence revealing that participants suffering from posttraumatic stress at baseline have shown, a year later, reduced anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine among those with high trauma severity. This pilot evidence warrants replication in future studies to confirm these findings and to determine the longitudinal effects and interactions between childhood posttraumatic stress and trauma.