The Neurocognitive Performance of Female Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Neurocognitive problems are common with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are important to understand because of their association with the success of PTSD treatment and its potential neural correlates. To our knowledge, this is the first neurocognitive study in an all-female U.S. veteran sample, some of whom had PTSD. We examined neurocognitive performance and assessed whether learning deficits, common in PTSD, were associated with executive functioning. Veterans with PTSD (n = 56) and without (n = 53) were evaluated for psychiatric and neurocognitive status. The PTSD group had a lower estimated IQ (d = 0.53) and performed more poorly on all neurocognitive domains (d range = 0.57-0.88), except verbal retention (d = 0.04). A subset of the 2 groups that were matched on IQ and demographics similarly demonstrated poorer performance for the PTSD group on all neurocognitive domains (d range = 0.52-0.79), except verbal retention (d = 0.15). Within the PTSD group, executive functioning accounted for significant variance in verbal learning over and above IQ and processing speed (R-2 = .06), as well as depression (R-2 = .07) and PTSD severity (R-2 = .06). This study demonstrated that female veterans with PTSD performed more poorly than females without PTSD on several neurocognitive domains, including verbal learning, processing speed, and executive functioning. Replication of these results using a control group of veterans with more similar trauma exposure, history of mild traumatic brain injury, and psychiatric comorbidities would solidify these findings. Resumen Los problemas neurocognitivos son comunes en el trastorno por estres postraumatico (TEPT) y es importante entenderlos debido a su asociacion con el exito del tratamiento de TEPT y sus potenciales correlatos neurales. Hasta donde sabemos, es este el primer estudio neurocognitivo en una muestra solamente compuesta por mujeres veteranas, algunas de las cuales tenian TEPT. Examinamos el rendimiento neurocognitivo y evaluamos si los problemas de aprendizaje, comunes en TEPT, estaban asociados con el funcionamiento ejecutivo. Las veteranas con (56) y sin (53) TEPT fueron evaluadas en su estado psiquiatrico y neurocognitivo. El grupo TEPT tenia un CI estimado menor (d = 0.53) y rindieron mas pobremente en todos los dominios neurocognitivos (rango d = 0.57-0.88), excepto en la retencion verbal (d = 0.04). Un subconjunto de los 2 grupos, que tenian CI y datos demograficos comparables, demostraron rendimientos bajos similares en todos los dominios neurocognitivos (rango d = 0.52-0.79), excepto por la retencion verbal (d = 0.15). Dentro del grupo TEPT, el funcionamiento ejecutivo explica la varianza significativa en aprendizaje verbal por encima del CI y la velocidad de procesamiento (R2 = .06), como tambien la depresion (R2 = .07), y la gravedad del TEPT (R2 = .06). Este estudio demostro que las mujeres veteranas con TEPT rindieron peor que las mujeres sin TEPT en varios dominios neurocognitivos, incluyendo el aprendizaje verbal, la velocidad de procesamiento y el funcionamiento ejecutivo. La replicacion de estos resultados usando un grupo control de veteranos con exposicion similar al trauma, historia de leve LTC (lesion traumatica cerebral) y comorbilidades psiquiatricas podrian darle mayor solidez a estos hallazgos. Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSS ??: ?????????????????????? ??: ?????????????(PTSD)????????????PTSD?????????????????,??????????????????????,????????PTSD????????????????????????????????????PTSD?????????????????????PTSD?????(56)???PTSD?????(53)?????????????????PTSD??????IQ??? (d = 0.53),??????????????(d?? = 0.57-0.88),??????????(d = 0.04)? ?IQ???????????????,????????????????????(d?? = 0.52-0.79),??????????(d = 0.15)?PTSD??,????????IQ?????????????(R2 = .06)????(R2 = .07)?PTSD???(R2 = .06)???????????,??PTSD??????????PTSD???????????????????,????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????,??????????? ??: ????????????????????? ??: ????????????(PTSD)???????????PTSD????????????????,?????????????????????,????????PTSD??????????????????????????????????PTSD?????????????????????PTSD?????(56)???PTSD?????(53)????????????????PTSD??????IQ??? (d = 0.53),??????????????(d?? = 0.57-0.88),??????????(d = 0.04)? ?IQ???????????????,???????????????????(d?? = 0.52-0.79),??????????(d = 0.15)?PTSD??,????????IQ?????????????(R2 = .06)????(R2 = .07)?PTSD???(R2 = .06)???????????,??PTSD??????????PTSD??????????????????,???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????,???????????