Multivariate assessment of explicit memory function in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

Declarative memory impairment is a frequent complaint of patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We assessed memory, attention, visual spatial skills, and executive function in Vietnam combat veterans with (n = 19) and without (n = 13) PTSD. Although PTSD subjects demonstrated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of traumatic stress 2001-04, Vol.14 (2), p.413-432
Main Authors: Gilbertson, Mark W., Gurvits, Tamara V., Lasko, Natasha B., Orr, Scott P., Pitman, Roger K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Alcoholism - complications
Alcoholism - psychology
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Attention
Biological and medical sciences
Case-Control Studies
combat
Combat Disorders - complications
Combat Disorders - psychology
Comorbidity
Depression - complications
Depression - psychology
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Learning Disorders - complications
Learning Disorders - psychology
Male
Medical sciences
memory
Memory Disorders - diagnosis
Memory Disorders - etiology
Memory Disorders - psychology
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Neuropsychological Tests
neuropsychology
New Hampshire
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
PTSD
Risk Factors
Severity of Illness Index
Veterans - psychology
Vietnam
Warfare
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Summary:Declarative memory impairment is a frequent complaint of patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We assessed memory, attention, visual spatial skills, and executive function in Vietnam combat veterans with (n = 19) and without (n = 13) PTSD. Although PTSD subjects demonstrated a “generalized impairment” relative to non‐PTSD subjects on a majority of tasks, only attention and memory provided unique and independent prediction of PTSD versus non‐PTSD status. Our findings suggest that memory functioning represents a neurocognitive domain of specific relevance to the development of PTSD in trauma‐exposed individuals, which can be distinguished from generalized attentional impairment as well as the effects of trauma exposure severity, IQ, comorbid depression, history of alcohol use, and history of developmental learning problems.
ISSN:0894-9867
1573-6598
DOI:10.1023/A:1011181305501