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Classification of Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Using Visual Brain Evoked P3s to Traumatic Stimuli

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Joseph Attias ,
Avi Bleich  and
Shlomo Gilat
Joseph Attias*
Affiliation:
Institute for Noise Hazards Research and Evoked Potentials Laboratory
Avi Bleich
Affiliation:
Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Shlomo Gilat
Affiliation:
R & D, Orgil, Ein Ayala, PO Box 51, Israel
*
J. Attias, Institute for Noise Hazards Research and Evoked Potentials Laboratory, I.D.F., Medical Corps, Chaim-Sheba Medical Center/Bldg. 87, 52621, Israel. Fax: 972-3-5303201
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Abstract

Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) typically involves a re-experiencing of traumatic events. In a previous P3 study it was found that PTSD patients react both selectively and involuntarily to combat-related pictures, exhibiting augmented P3 event-related potentials and thus providing a brain activity measure. The clinical application of these findings in differentiating PTSD patients from controls was tested.

Method

Twenty Israeli combat veterans suffering from PTSD and 20 age-matched veterans without PTSD were evaluated. P3 potentials were recorded at Pz and Cz in response to visual motor-task target stimuli (pictures of domestic animals), non-target probe stimuli (combat-related pictures), and non-target irrelevant stimuli (pictures of furnishings and flowers).

Results

Using the Fisher Linear Discrimination Method the P3 measures correctly classified 90% of the PTSD patients and 85% of the controls.

Conclusions

Visual P3s recorded in response to combat-related pictorial stimuli may introduce an efficient tool for studying higher brain activity in PTSD, complementing other behavioural and psychophysiological measurements.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 1 , January 1996 , pp. 110 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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