Attentional and executive functions are differentially affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma.
BACKGROUND
Among the neurocognitive impairments observed in patients with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), attentional and executive dysfunctions appear to correlate with negative effects on education, work, daily life activities, and social relations, as well as the re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. However, there is no consensus regarding which aspects of attentional and executive functions are impaired in PTSD patients.


METHODS
Attentional and executive functions were assessed using the digit span (WAIS-III) and spatial span (WMS-III) tests under forward and backward recall conditions, the Stroop Test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Our sample was composed of victims of urban violence who developed PTSD (PTSD+) (n = 81), victims of urban violence who did not develop PTSD (PTSD-) (n = 70), and healthy controls not exposed to trauma (HC) (n = 50).


RESULTS
The PTSD+ group had poorer performance on the spatial span forward subtest (p = 0.023; eta(2) = 0.038) and poorer execution time (p = 0.023; eta(2) = 0.042) and accuracy (p = 0.019; eta(2) = 0.044) on the Stroop Test compared to HC.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that there are few differences between the PTSD+ and HC groups, which are restricted to less complex measures of attentional and executive functional processes (short term capacity, selective attention, processing speed, and inhibitory control) and are related to visual stimuli. Therefore, cognitive impairments directly correlated with the manifestation of PTSD.
['Flaks|Mariana K|MK|', 'Malta|Stella M|SM|', 'Almeida|Priscila P|PP|', 'Bueno|Orlando F A|OF|', 'Pupo|Mariana C|MC|', 'Andreoli|Sérgio B|SB|', 'Mello|Marcelo F|MF|', 'Lacerda|Acioly L T|AL|', 'Mari|Jair J|JJ|', 'Bressan|Rodrigo A|RA|']
D000328:Adult D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity D003072:Cognition Disorders D056344:Executive Function D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009483:Neuropsychological Tests D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic D014947:Wounds and Injuries
Executive functions Post-traumatic stress disorder Trauma Cognition Neuropsychology