Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD.

BACKGROUND: We recently reported an improvement of precuneus PET metabolism after EMDR therapy in military participants suffering from PTSD. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity in these participants after such treatment. METHOD: Fifteen participants with PTSD performed a brain 18F-FDG-PET sensitized by virtual reality exposure to war scenes, before and after EMDR treatment. Inter-regional correlation analysis was performed to study metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity through SPMT maps at whole-brain level (p < 0.005 for the voxel, p < 0.05 for the cluster). RESULTS: A decrease of connectivity was observed after EMDR between the precuneus and two significant bilateral clusters of the cerebellum (bilateral Crus I and VI cerebellar lobules, Tmax voxel of 5.8 and 5.3, and cluster size of 343 and 314 voxels, respectively). Moreover, higher cerebellar metabolism before treatment was associated with reduced clinical PTSD scores after EMDR (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The posterior cerebellum and its metabolic connectivity with the precuneus are involved in the clinical efficiency of EMDR in PTSD.

Antecedentes: Recientemente informamos una mejora del metabolismo de PET precuneus después de la terapia EMDR en participantes militares que padecen TEPT.Objetivo: El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar los cambios metabólicos en la conectividad precuneus en estos participantes después de dicho tratamiento.Métodos: Quince participantes con trastorno de estrés postraumático se sometieron a 18F-FDG-PET cerebral sensibilizado por la exposición de realidad virtual a escenas de guerra antes y después del tratamiento con EMDR. El análisis de correlación interregional se realizó para estudiar los cambios metabólicos en la conectividad precuneus a través de mapas SPM-T a nivel de todo el cerebro (p <0.005 para el vóxel, p <0.05 para el grupo).Resultados: Se observó una disminución en la conectividad después de la terapia EMDR entre el precúneo y dos grupos bilaterales significativos del cerebelo (vóxeles Tmax de 5.8 y 5.3 y tamaños de racimo de 343 y 314 vóxeles, respectivamente). Además, un metabolismo cerebeloso más alto antes del tratamiento se asoció con puntuaciones clínicas de TEPT reducidas después de EMDR (p = 0.03).Conclusión: el cerebelo y su conectividad metabólica con el precuneus están involucrados en la eficiencia clínica de EMDR en TEPT.

[Vertebral tuberculosis in a chronic hemodialysis patient with polycystic kidney disease]. / Spondylite tuberculeuse chez une hémodialysée chronique porteuse d'une polykystose.

We report a case of vertebral tuberculosis in a female patient with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) who had been treated with maintenance hemodialysis for six years. Diagnosis of lumbar bacillary spondylitis was particularly difficult, owing to proximity of polycystic kidneys and spine. After removal of one kidney in which no bacterial focus was found, pain and inflammation persisted. Two months later CT scan and RMN evidence of 4th lumbar vertebral lysis led to performing open vertebral biopsy. Tuberculous lesions were found on this material and antibacillary treatment was begun. This case illustrates the difficulty of diagnosing vertebral tuberculosis in dialysis patients, especially in those with PKD.