Women who have been sexually abused have a higher risk of developing some form of brain damage, which is linked to cognitive decline, dementia and stroke, a new study finds.
The study's author, Rebecca Thurston, says it "could be abuse in childhood, adolescence or even adulthood."
The new study, which will soon be published in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior, looked for signs of "white matter" hyperintensities in brain scans of 145 middle-aged women with no previous history of cardiovascular disease, stroke in the brain or dementia. However, 68% of participants had experienced trauma, and for 23% of women, that trauma was sexual abuse.
Hyperintensities of white matter, which appear as small white spots on the MRI scanner, are markers of disruptions in blood circulation that have left damage to the brain.
"Using brain images, we found that women with a history of sexual abuse have greater white matter hyperintensity in the brain, which is an indicator of diseases associated with stroke, dementia, mortality, cognitive decline, etc." , said Thurston.
The study checked for diseases and other conditions that would affect the development of white matter hyperintensities, such as age, hypertension, smoking and diabetes. This study also checked emotional disorders, including depression, anxiety, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The increase in white matter was not explained by any of these symptoms, but was explained by the abuse. The bottom line is clear: Sexual abuse leaves traces on the body and brain!
Source: CNN
