The Psychological Characteristics and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Firefighters with Partial Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and the Effect of Treatment by Using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the clinical characteristics and functional magnetic resonanceimaging (fMRI) findings of firefighters suffering from partial posttraumatic stress disorder(partial PTSD). They were treated by eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)and the treatment effect was evaluated.

Methods: A total of 116 firefighters were screened and 15 of them were diagnosed as partialPTSD. 1) We compared sociodemographic and psychological characteristics between the firefighterpartial PTSD group and the firefighter control group. 2) Subjects in the firefighter partialPTSD group (n=10), firefighter control group (n=8), and general control group (n=12) underwentfMRI with traumatic, negative, positive, and neutral picture stimuli. We compared clinical characteristicsand fMRI findings among these three groups. 3) Seven firefighters in the partial PTSD groupwere treated by EMDR and the treatment effect was evaluated according to psychological scales.

Results: In fMRI analysis, there was a left middle temporal/occipital activation in the order of thegeneral control group, firefighter control group, than the firefighter partial PTSD group for the Traumatic-Baseline contrast. For the Negative-Baseline contrast, there was an increased left middletemporal/occipital activation in the general control group versus decreased activation in the firefightercontrol group and the firefighter partial PTSD group. All firefighters in the partial PTSD grouptreated by EMDR showed significant improvement of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale scores.

Conclusion: These results show high incidence rate of partial PTSD in firefighters. In addition,partial PTSD firefighters exhibited distinct clinical characteristics and fMRI findings and showed significant improvement by EMDR treatment.