Strong correlation of novel sleep electroencephalography coherence markers with diagnosis and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Mo H ModarresRyan A OpelKristianna B WeymannMiranda M LimPublished in: Scientific reports (2019)
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 (PTSDdx), and another index for PTSD severity (PTSDsev). PTSDdx 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. PTSDsev 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.
Keyphrases
- posttraumatic stress disorder
- resting state
- sleep quality
- functional connectivity
- physical activity
- social support
- working memory
- white matter
- deep brain stimulation
- obstructive sleep apnea
- multiple sclerosis
- deep learning
- electronic health record
- cerebral ischemia
- data analysis
- brain injury
- subarachnoid hemorrhage
- high density
- blood brain barrier
- patient reported