Brain connectivity is lower in adults with PTSD or a history of sexual abuse

A study has found that adults with maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder or a history of sexual abuse have lower brain connectivity in the attention systems known as the ventral and dorsal attention network. These networks enable us to shift attention from external events to a specific task. The team also found that oxytocin, a hormone associated with social affiliation as well as stress response, increases brain connectivity in those systems.