Abstract Details

Title PTSD, Depression, and Cognitive Performance in Military Service Members With and Without History of mTBI

Topic Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology

Presentation(s) S2 - Behavioral Neurology (2:36 PM-2:48 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 009

Background

Combat veterans often present with co-occurring PTSD and history of mTBI, and they typically demonstrate lower cognitive performances compared to those with either PTSD or history of mTBI. How severity of PTSD symptoms may influence the trajectory of cognitive performance is not well understood. We evaluated whether relationships between psychiatric symptoms and cognitive performance were more prominent in patients with history of blast mTBI versus controls at 5 year follow-up.

Objective Investigate the relationship of PTSD and depression symptoms and cognitive performance in a longitudinal study of military personnel with and without history of mild TBI (mTBI)

Design/Methods 5-year follow up data from 280 participants enrolled in the EVOLVE longitudinal study of military personnel was examined. Groups were subdivided into patients with concussive blast TBI (n=171) and combat-deployed controls without history of blast exposure and TBI (non-blast controls; n=109). We evaluated 5-year outcomes of PTSD symptoms by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), depression symptoms by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and cognitive performances by a standardized neuropsychological test battery.

Results

Relative to the non-blast controls, the blast TBI group had significantly higher scores on the CAPS (p<.001) and MADRS (p<.001), and worse overall cognitive performances (p<.001) at 5-year follow-up. Correlations between cognitive performance with CAPS or MADRS did not show statistically significant group differences (p>.05).

Conclusions Our findings demonstrate evidence of worsening cognitive and emotional outcomes in military personnel with history of blast TBI history, relative to a well-matched control group of military personnel with a history of combat deployment but without TBI and blast history. Further modeling of trajectories of specific cognitive domain performances, including those most commonly seen in PTSD and mTBI, are warranted.

Authors/Disclosures
Carolyn Parsey, PhD (CommonSpirit St Anthony North Hospital) PRESENTER	Dr. Parsey has received research support from NIH/NINDS. Dr. Parsey has received research support from Ellison Foundation.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Christine MacDonald, PhD (University of Washington)	The institution of Dr. MacDonald has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. MacDonald has received research support from Department of Defense.