Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Brain Function as Measured by Quantitative EEG, Neuropsychological, and Psychological Tests
STS Instructor Authored by Lisa Black
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Study at a glance
- Area
- PTSD & Trauma
- Study type
- Observational study
- Authors
- Black LM
- Journal
- Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas
- Year
- 2005
- Participants
- 24 adults with childhood sexual abuse plus a matched comparison group
- Population
- Adults
- Protocol
- QEEG coherence analysis
Key findings
- Reduced coherence in right frontal delta, right frontal and centro-temporal alpha, and posterior alpha and beta
- Increased coherence across the central motor strip and in left temporal delta
- Large differences on personality measures, showing poorer adjustment in the abuse group
- Expected left alpha hypercoherence, right theta hypocoherence, EEG abnormalities and verbal-performance IQ gap were not found
A doctoral study comparing 24 high-functioning, unmedicated adults who had experienced childhood sexual abuse with a matched group without such history, using QEEG, neuropsychological and personality tests. The abuse group showed a distinctive pattern of brain connectivity, mostly reduced coherence on the right side and at the back of the head in several frequency bands, with increased coherence across the motor strip and left temporal area. They also showed poorer adjustment on personality measures, but several predictions drawn from earlier clinical studies were not supported.