Cortical demyelination in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder: A study of World Trade Center responders

World Trade Center (WTC) responders are at mid-life, with 23% presenting with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Epidemiologic studies suggest that chronic PTSD is associated with psychomotor slowing and physical functional limitations consistent with intracortical neuroinflammation. Prior neuroimaging has suggested that chronic PTSD is associated with glial activation and reduced cortical complexity, as well as neurodegeneration in the hippocampus and anterior cingulate, suggestive of PTSD-induced cortical neuropathology. Hypothesizing that these results might reduce intercortical density, we evaluated intercortical demyelination in WTC responders with chronic PTSD. We used gray-white contrast purported to measure cortical demyelination and, by extension, interneuronal health.