Neuroscience Aggression and cortical excitability Iin patients with posttraumatic stress disorder

Objective: Hyperarousal and alertness play an important role in the clinical picture of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on the idea that there is a relationship between some subtypes of hyperarousal symptoms and aggression in patients with PTSD, we aimed to examine the relationship between electrophysiological measurements that was measured through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and aggression scale scores of PTSD patients.

Methods: The study included 37 patients with a diagnosis of PTSD according to DSM-IV criteria and 25 healthy volunteers. Electrophysiological measurements of participants were made with TMS. Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaires was administered to patients and control group.

Result: A positive correlation was found between scores of aggression in patients and arousal symptoms. Motor excitability threshold, which is a sign of cortical excitability, one of TMS measurements, was significantly lower in the patient group than the control group. There was a negative correlation between aggression scale scores and the parameters of motor excitability threshold and cortical silent period which both shows cortical excitability of the patients.

Conclusion: We concluded that there was an increase in cortical excitability in PTSD patients and this increase was indirectly associated with hyperarousal symptoms and aggressive behavior.