PTSD Is Associated with Accelerated Cognitive Decline

A cohort study on middle-aged women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found an increased risk of accelerated cognitive decline. According to the National Center for PTSD, a subset of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, 50% of women will experience some trauma in their lifetime. Each year, 12 million adults will experience PTSD.  

According to the CDC, cognitive decline corresponds with worsening memory loss, confusion, learning abilities, and judgment. As stated on the CDC website, “cognitive decline can range from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, a form of decline in abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life.” 

Understanding the correlation between cognitive decline and PTSD can assist in early intervention and treatment for forms of dementia that can impact patient prognosis.  

The participants of this study came from the Nurses’ Health Study II, in which female nurses from the US between 25 and 42 years old were enrolled in 1989. Since the initial enrollment, participants in the study have been sent questionnaires every other year.  

Using the Nurses’ Health Study II, 12,270 participants with trauma exposure were enrolled in the PTSD sub-study. Throughout this study, participants were assessed using cognitive tests.  

Between March 1, 2008, and February 28, 2010, members of this survey were asked about their experiences with traumatic events. Using the DSM, women were asked about 7 diagnostic symptoms and then classified into one of the following groups: no PTSD symptoms, between 1 and 3 PTSD symptoms, between 4 and 5 PTSD symptoms, and between 6 and 7 PTSD symptoms. 

They were then evaluated on their cognitive abilities from October 3, 2014, to July 30, 2019, using the Cogstate Brief Battery.  

The Cogstate Brief Battery is a series of 4 tasks that measure psychomotor speed, attention, visual learning, and working memory.  

The study found that 67% of the 12,270 women had experienced PTSD symptoms in some manner. Furthermore, the study found that cognitive function declined over time, with learning and working memory having the steepest rate of decline.  

The trend in cognitive function in women with a high number of PTSD symptoms was negative. Similarly, women with a moderate number of PTSD symptoms saw a cognitive decline in learning and working memory.  

“Given that cognitive decline is associated with subsequent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, a better understanding of this association may be important to promote healthy aging. These findings also highlight the importance of PTSD prevention and treatment to ensure healthy cognitive aging and suggest the value of earlier cognitive screening among women with PTSD,” concluded the researchers in the study.  

While further research is necessary to better understand the correlation between PTSD and cognitive decline, this study may contribute to new diagnostic strategies for cognitive impairment and dementia.