Citation

Merz ZC, Roskos PT, Gfeller JD, Bucholz RD. Brain Inj. 2017; 31(11): 1422-1428.

Affiliation

Department of Neurosurgery , Saint Louis University , St. Louis , MO , USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/02699052.2017.1339124

PMID

28707957

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether increased incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptomatology in veterans with combat-related traumatic brain injury might help account for neurocognitive impairment relative to civilians with traumatic brain injury. PARTICIPANTS: Neuropsychological assessment data of 53 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and 48 civilians with positive history of traumatic brain injury were analyzed to assess differences with respect to cognitive performance.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data including neurocognitive test performance and self-reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

RESULTS: Results showed worse neurocognitive performance (i.e. RBANS Total Index score) in the veteran sample relative to the civilian sample [F(1,99) = 3.92, p =.05, ƞ2 =.04], particularly on tasks measuring attentional capabilities [F(1,99) = 9.18, p =.003, ƞ2 =.09]. Additional analyses found that after controlling for post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology, differences were no longer significant. Broad correlations between measures also showcased attenuated relationships after controlling for both post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptomatology using partial correlations Conclusion: Findings suggest that the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptomatology negatively impacts cognitive performance across neuropsychological assessment above and beyond deficits related to traumatic brain injury.

Language: en

Keywords

Traumatic brain injury; blast injury; post-traumatic stress disorder