No effect of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders on cognitive functioning in veterans with mild TBI

Clin Neuropsychol. 2011 Apr;25(3):337-47. doi: 10.1080/13854046.2010.550634. Epub 2011 Feb 22.

Abstract

There has been speculation that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) superimposed on mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) may have synergistic, negative effects on cognitive functioning. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in processing speed, executive functioning, and memory of 82 veterans with mTBI and PTSD, mTBI, and another psychiatric condition, or mTBI alone. It was hypothesized that there would be no group differences in cognitive performances. Participants completed the Trail Making Test, Stroop, Rey Complex Figure, and California Verbal Learning Test-2. There were no significant group differences on any cognitive measure. Findings suggest that PTSD and other psychiatric disorders do not necessarily have a negative exacerbating effect on processing speed, executive functioning, or memory in veterans with mTBI.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Injuries / psychology*
  • Cognition*
  • Comorbidity
  • Executive Function*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory*
  • Mental Disorders / microbiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Trauma Severity Indices
  • Veterans / psychology*