Intimate partner violence and brain imaging in women: A neuroimaging literature review

ABSTRACT

Primary objective

Despite a high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its lasting impacts on individuals, particularly women, very little is known about how IPV may impact the brain. IPV is known to frequently result in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this overview of literature, we examined literature related to neuroimaging in women with IPV experiences between the years 2010–2021.

Research Design

Literature overview

Methods and Procedures

A total of 17 studies were included in the review, which is organized into each imaging modality, including magnetic resonance imaging (structural, diffusion, and functional MRI), Electroencephalography (EEG), proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (pMRS), and multimodal imaging.

Main outcomes and Results

Research has identified changes in brain regions associated with cognition, emotion, and memory. Howeverto date, it is difficult to disentangle the unique contributions of TBI and PTSD effects of IPV on the brain. Furthermore, experimental design elements differ considerably among studies.

Conclusions

The aim is to provide an overview of existing literature to determine commonalities across studies and to identify remaining knowledge gaps and recommendations for implementing future imaging studies with individuals who experience IPV.

KEYWORDS:

• Intimate partner violence
• human brain
• posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• neuroimaging

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Center for PTSD, a VA Center for Excellence and, in part, by the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), a VA Rehabilitation Research and Development National Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury. (B3001-C).