Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32259241›Full record

ArticleNeurosurgery2020

Case Series: Unilateral Amygdala Ablation Ameliorates Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Biomarkers.

Kelly R Bijanki, Sanne J H van Rooij, Timothy D Ely, Jennifer S Stevens, Cory S Inman, Rebecca E Fasano, Sierra E Carter, Sterling J Winters, Justin R Baman, Daniel L Drane and 2 more

Open access · greenAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Neurosurgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. Beta bursts mediate amygdala gating of hippocampal emotional encoding.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Kelly R BijankiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Sanne J H van RooijDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Timothy D ElyDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Jennifer S StevensDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Cory S InmanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Rebecca E FasanoDepartment of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Sierra E CarterDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Sterling J WintersDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Justin R BamanDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Daniel L DraneDepartment of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Tanja JovanovicDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Jon T WillieDepartment of Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Emory University · US

Funding

Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE)UL1TR002378 · NCATS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Andres J Garcia, Elizabeth O. Ofili · 2017 to 2026
$92.1M
Institutional Career Development CoreKL2TR002381 · NCATS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI HENRY M BLUMBERG, Anandi Nayan Sheth · 2017 to 2026
$14.1M
National Neuropsychological Network (NNN)R01MH118514 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI DANIEL L DRANE, David W. Loring · 2019 to 2026
$9.4M
Dissecting the Cognitive Roles of Hippocampus, Other Temporal Lobe StructuresR01NS088748 · NINDS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI DRANE, DANIEL L · 2014 to 2024
$6.4M
Development, Trauma, and Genotype Effects on Biomarkers of Anxiety in ChildrenR01MH100122 · NIMH · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI JOVANOVIC, TANJA · 2013 to 2017
$1.9M
The human amygdala in social processing: circuits, physiology, behavior, and neuromodulationK01MH116364 · NIMH · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI BIJANKI, KELLY ROWE · 2018 to 2021
$650k
Novel Strategies for Mapping the Emotional Neural Circuitry Using Human Brain StimulationR21NS104953 · NINDS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI BIJANKI, KELLY ROWE, WILLIE, JON TIMOTHY · 2018 to 2019
$385k
NCATS NIH HHS KL2 TR002381NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002378NIMH NIH HHS K01 MH116364NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH100122NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH118514NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS088748NINDS NIH HHS R21 NS104953
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder is a severe psychobiological disorder associated with hyperactivity of the amygdala, particularly on the right side. Highly selective laser ablation of the amygdalohippocampal complex is an effective neurosurgical treatment for medically refractory medial temporal lobe epilepsy that minimizes neurocognitive deficits relative to traditional open surgery.

objectiveTo examine the impact of amygdalohippocampotomy upon symptoms and biomarkers of post-traumatic stress disorder.

methodsTwo patients with well-documented chronic post-traumatic stress disorder who subsequently developed late-onset epilepsy underwent unilateral laser amygdalohippocampotomy. Prospective clinical and neuropsychological measurements were collected in patient 1. Additional prospective measurements of symptoms and biomarkers were collected pre- and post-surgery in patient 2.

resultsAfter laser ablation targeting the nondominant (right) amygdala, both patients experienced not only reduced seizures, but also profoundly abated post-traumatic stress symptoms. Prospective evaluation of biomarkers in patient 2 showed robust improvements in hyperarousal symptoms, fear potentiation of the startle reflex, brain functional magnetic resonance imaging responses to fear-inducing stimuli, and emotional declarative memory.

conclusionThese observations support the emerging hypothesis that the right amygdala particularly perpetuates the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suggests that focal unilateral amydalohippocampotomy can provide therapeutic benefit.

Indexed as

Stress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAdultAmygdalaEpilepsy, Temporal LobeFemaleHumansLaser TherapyMaleMiddle AgedNeurosurgical ProceduresProspective StudiesAblationAmygdalaAnxietyEpilepsyHippocampusLesionPost-traumatic stress disorderResection

Identifiers

PMID32259241
PMCPMC7593359
OpenAlexW3015052923

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.