2024
Amygdala Cannabinoid 1 Receptor, Pain Response, and Emotional Numbing in Trauma-Exposed Individuals
Korem N, Hillmer A, D’Souza D, Nia A, Levy I, Pietrzak R, Harpaz-Rotem I. Amygdala Cannabinoid 1 Receptor, Pain Response, and Emotional Numbing in Trauma-Exposed Individuals. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2432387. PMID: 39250156, PMCID: PMC11385051, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.32387.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEmotional State Transitions in Trauma-Exposed Individuals With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Korem N, Duek O, Spiller T, Ben-Zion Z, Levy I, Harpaz-Rotem I. Emotional State Transitions in Trauma-Exposed Individuals With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e246813. PMID: 38625701, PMCID: PMC11022112, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6813.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic stress disorderTrauma-exposed individualsEmotional numbing symptomsTrauma-exposed controlsNegative emotional statesNumbing symptomsEmotional numbingDSM-5Valence ratingsStress disorderEmotional statesTrauma-exposed control groupPTSD experiencesPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ChecklistDSM-5 criteriaAge-related associationsStimulus valencePCL-5Emotional responsesEmotional state transitionEmotional transitionSymptomsParticipantsDisorders
2023
Effects of a dissociative drug on fronto-limbic resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study
Danböck S, Duek O, Ben-Zion Z, Korem N, Amen S, Kelmendi B, Wilhelm F, Levy I, Harpaz-Rotem I. Effects of a dissociative drug on fronto-limbic resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study. Psychopharmacology 2023, 241: 243-252. PMID: 37872291, PMCID: PMC10806226, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06479-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchResting-state functional connectivityPosttraumatic stress disorderFunctional magnetic resonance imagingMedial prefrontal cortexMPFC subregionsAnterior medial PFCFunctional connectivityStress disorderAspartate glutamate receptor antagonistPilot studyNon-competitive N-methylGlutamate receptor antagonistsEffects of ketamineDissociative drugsMagnetic resonance imagingIntravenous drug infusionReceptor antagonistSubanesthetic doseDrug infusionCorrelative findingsKetamineResonance imagingTransient decreaseDrug midazolamAmygdalaStructural Neuroimaging of Hippocampus and Amygdala Subregions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Scoping Review
Ben-Zion Z, Korem N, Fine N, Katz S, Siddhanta M, Funaro M, Duek O, Spiller T, Danböck S, Levy I, Harpaz-Rotem I. Structural Neuroimaging of Hippocampus and Amygdala Subregions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Scoping Review. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science 2023, 4: 120-134. PMID: 38298789, PMCID: PMC10829655, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-traumatic stress disorderAmygdala subregionsStress disorderKey limbic regionsEtiology of PTSDPosttraumatic stress disorderDentate gyrusLimbic regionsSubiculum volumeSubregion volumesHippocampal subregionsDisorder pathogenesisStructural neuroimagingAutomatic segmentation softwareAmygdalar subregionsHippocampusNucleus volumeScoping ReviewPathogenesisCurrent literatureDisordersSegmentation softwareMethodological limitationsPost-traumatic psychopathologyReviewCorrelates of avoidance coping in trauma-exposed U.S. military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study
Korem N, Ben-Zion Z, Spiller T, Duek O, Harpaz-Rotem I, Pietrzak R. Correlates of avoidance coping in trauma-exposed U.S. military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2023, 339: 89-97. PMID: 37437721, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderAvoidance copingTraumatic eventsU.S. military veteransEmotional stabilityNegative affect symptomsEmotional neglectSexual abuseAffect symptomsMilitary veteransAvoidant coping strategiesGreater emotional stabilityPhysical health outcomesPsychosocial risk factorsConsolidated memoryStress disorderCoping strategiesAdverse childhood experiencesStressful experiencesCopingVeterans StudyChildhood experiencesStrong feelingsNetwork analytic approachConscientiousnessUnderlying Hippocampal Mechanism of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Outcome: Evidence From Two Clinical Trials
Zilcha-Mano S, Duek O, Suarez-Jimenez B, Zhu X, Lazarov A, Helpman L, Korem N, Malka M, Harpaz-Rotem I, Neria Y. Underlying Hippocampal Mechanism of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Outcome: Evidence From Two Clinical Trials. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science 2023, 3: 867-874. PMID: 37881552, PMCID: PMC10593870, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.01.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic stress disorderRight hippocampal volumeHippocampal volumeSymptom reductionPosttreatment magnetic resonance imagingPosttraumatic stress disorder treatment outcomeLarger hippocampal volumesDisorder treatment outcomesPTSD symptom reductionMagnetic resonance imagingGreater PTSD symptom reductionBetter prognosisClinical trialsTreatment outcomesDepressive symptomsTherapeutic outcomesPTSD treatmentResonance imagingTreatment studiesClinical targetsStress disorderPTSD symptomsSmall sample sizeHippocampal mechanismsTreatment
2022
Emotional numbing in PTSD is associated with lower amygdala reactivity to pain
Korem N, Duek O, Ben-Zion Z, Kaczkurkin AN, Lissek S, Orederu T, Schiller D, Harpaz-Rotem I, Levy I. Emotional numbing in PTSD is associated with lower amygdala reactivity to pain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022, 47: 1913-1921. PMID: 35945274, PMCID: PMC9485255, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01405-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderAmygdala reactivityLower amygdala reactivityHigher pain responseLower amygdala activationAltered pain perceptionAmygdala activationProcessing of painAmygdala responseEmotional numbingPain correlateMild painPain processingPain thresholdPain responsePain perceptionPainControl groupPTSD groupStress disorderRobust reductionAmygdala activityCombat controlsAmygdalaEmotional numbing symptoms
2021
Cannabinoid Receptor 1 rs1049353 Variant, Childhood Abuse, and the Heterogeneity of PTSD Symptoms: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study
Korem N, Duek O, Xu K, Harpaz-Rotem I, Pietrzak RH. Cannabinoid Receptor 1 rs1049353 Variant, Childhood Abuse, and the Heterogeneity of PTSD Symptoms: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Chronic Stress 2021, 5: 24705470211011075. PMID: 33997583, PMCID: PMC8107935, DOI: 10.1177/24705470211011075.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic stress disorderOverall PTSD symptomsAnxious arousal symptomsPTSD symptomsNational HealthChildhood abuseVeterans StudySymptom clustersArousal symptomsAllele carrier statusArousal symptom clustersMultivariable analysisEndocannabinoid systemAllele carriersPTSD symptom clustersGene-environment studiesGreater severityG homozygotesU.S. veteransSymptomsStress disorderCarrier statusReceptor geneDisordersSignificant main effect
2018
Role of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus and amygdala in emotional memory and plasticity
Segev A, Korem N, Mizrachi Zer-Aviv T, Abush H, Lange R, Sauber G, Hillard C, Akirav I. Role of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus and amygdala in emotional memory and plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018, 43: 2017-2027. PMID: 29977073, PMCID: PMC6098035, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0135-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term potentiationPosttraumatic stress disorderBasolateral amygdalaSituational remindersEmotional memoryFatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597Fear responsesCB1 receptor antagonist AM251Effects of URB597Receptor antagonist AM251Role of endocannabinoidsDevelopment of PTSDHippocampal CA1 areaTrauma-related cuesEndogenous cannabinoid levelsSevere footshockAntagonist AM251Endocannabinoid contentAEA levelsCA1 areaEffects of exposureRisk factorsFAAH activityTreatment responseFAAH inhibition
2014
Cannabinoids Prevent the Effects of a Footshock Followed by Situational Reminders on Emotional Processing
Korem N, Akirav I. Cannabinoids Prevent the Effects of a Footshock Followed by Situational Reminders on Emotional Processing. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014, 39: 2709-2722. PMID: 24897957, PMCID: PMC4200492, DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBenzoxazinesBrainCannabinoid Receptor AgonistsCannabinoidsCuesDisease Models, AnimalElectroshockEmotionsExtinction, PsychologicalLong-Term PotentiationMaleMorpholinesNaphthalenesNeuronal PlasticityRats, Sprague-DawleyReceptors, CannabinoidReceptors, GlucocorticoidReflex, StartleSpace PerceptionStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderSituational remindersEmotional processingPrefrontal cortexTrauma exposureTraumatic eventsBasolateral amygdalaPTSD-like symptomsTrajectory of PTSDCB1/2 receptor agonistCB1 receptorsGlucocorticoid receptorImpaired extinctionSingle footshockStress disorderBrain areasFootshockCB1R expressionImpaired plasticityReceptor agonistDay 1Day 3ProcessingCA1Altered expression