Beyond the Baseline: Systematic Review of Task-Based Neural Oscillations in PTSD and Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

Background: Neural oscillations serve as potential biomarkers in understanding the pathophysiology of PTSD and anxiety disorders. Prior studies have focused on frequency band abnormalities during resting state; however, task-based protocols might reveal more about deviations in brain oscillations in these disorders. Methods: This review adheres to PRISMA guidelines, with a search across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. We extracted data on task-based EEG and MEG measurements, focusing on theta, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta oscillations. We examined the differences between adults diagnosed with PTSD or anxiety disorders and healthy controls, aiming to understand the deviations in neural oscillations and their implications for these conditions. Results: Our findings indicate a possible pattern of alteration in theta and gamma oscillations in individuals with PTSD and anxiety disorders during cognitive tasks. Theta oscillations showed a significant elevation, which correlates with emotional and cognitive dysregulation, while gamma oscillations were primarily associated with memory processing and emotional regulation. Conclusions: Theta and gamma oscillations exhibit possible distinctive patterns that could inform future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. There is a need for further research to standardize tasks used for enabling finding an effect.