TY - JOUR
T1 - PTSD symptoms and cognitive performance in recent trauma survivors
AU - Brandes, Dalia
AU - Ben-Schachar, Gershon
AU - Gilboa, Assaf
AU - Bonne, Omer
AU - Freedman, Sara
AU - Shalev, Arieh Y.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by PHS research grant no. NH 50374.
PY - 2002/7/31
Y1 - 2002/7/31
N2 - Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with cognitive impairments involving memory and attention. The association between cognitive impairment and early PTSD symptoms is unknown, yet such association may lead to poorer processing of traumatic memories and thereby contribute to subsequent PTSD. This study evaluated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and cognitive functioning within 10 days of traumatic events. Forty-eight survivors were assessed for symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression and dissociation and for immediate and delayed verbal and figural memory, attention, learning and IQ. Survivors with high levels of PTSD symptoms showed impaired attention and immediate recall for figural information and lower IQ. They did not show, however, an impairment of verbal recall and learning. The observed difference was not explained by anxiety or dissociation. It disappeared, however, when the effect of depressive symptoms was controlled for. Lower IQ and impaired attention are associated with early PTSD and depressive symptoms. Poorer attention may have a role in shaping traumatic memories.
AB - Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with cognitive impairments involving memory and attention. The association between cognitive impairment and early PTSD symptoms is unknown, yet such association may lead to poorer processing of traumatic memories and thereby contribute to subsequent PTSD. This study evaluated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and cognitive functioning within 10 days of traumatic events. Forty-eight survivors were assessed for symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression and dissociation and for immediate and delayed verbal and figural memory, attention, learning and IQ. Survivors with high levels of PTSD symptoms showed impaired attention and immediate recall for figural information and lower IQ. They did not show, however, an impairment of verbal recall and learning. The observed difference was not explained by anxiety or dissociation. It disappeared, however, when the effect of depressive symptoms was controlled for. Lower IQ and impaired attention are associated with early PTSD and depressive symptoms. Poorer attention may have a role in shaping traumatic memories.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Depression
KW - Memory and attention
KW - Stress disorder, post-traumatic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037205773&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0165-1781(02)00125-7
DO - 10.1016/S0165-1781(02)00125-7
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C2 - 12127473
AN - SCOPUS:0037205773
SN - 0165-1781
VL - 110
SP - 231
EP - 238
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
IS - 3
ER -
