Scientists from Harvard University found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to faster cognitive decline among middle-aged women.
The research is published in JAMA Network Open and was conducted by Andrea L. Roberts et al.
PTSD is a disorder characterized by failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.
The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.
Symptoms may include nightmares or flashbacks, avoidance of situations that bring back the trauma, heightened reactivity to stimuli, anxiety, or depressed mood.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study II to examine the association between PTSD and decline in cognitive function over time.
Data were included for 12,270 trauma-exposed women who completed one to five cognitive assessments; the mean age at baseline cognitive assessment was 61.1 years.
The researchers found worse cognitive trajectories in association with a higher number of PTSD symptoms.
Women with the highest symptom level (six to seven symptoms) had a much worse rate of change in both learning and working memory and psychomotor speed and attention compared with those with no PTSD symptoms.
These findings highlight the importance of PTSD prevention and treatment to ensure healthy cognitive aging.
The researchers suggest the value of earlier cognitive screening among women with PTSD.
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