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. 2012 Apr;46(4):500-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.01.005. Epub 2012 Feb 14.

The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood

Felicia Gould  1 , Jennifer Clarke, Christine Heim, Philip D Harvey, Matthias Majer, Charles B Nemeroff
Affiliations

The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood

Felicia Gould et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Aims: Recent research has revealed that early life trauma (ELS), including abuse (sexual and/or physical) and neglect, produce lasting changes in the CNS. We posited that cognitive deficits, often observed in psychiatric patients, result, in part, due to the neurobiological consequences of ELS. Additionally, we hypothesized that the nature and magnitude of cognitive deficits would differ according to the subtype of ELS experienced.

Method: The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was used to assess neurocognitive functioning in 93 subjects (60 with ELS and 33 without). In the patients with a history of ELS, 35% and 16.7%, respectively, met criteria for current major depression and PTSD.

Results: Significant associations between ELS status and CANTAB measures of memory and executive and emotional functioning were found.

Conclusions: These data suggest that exposure to ELS results in a cascade of neurobiological changes associated with cognitive deficits in adulthood that vary according to the type of trauma experienced.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Explanatory variables with significant (nonlinear) associations with abuse and/or neglect. On the left are significant loadings on the dimension for Abuse, and on the right are significant loadings on the dimension for Neglect. For example, DMS Tot Correct has a significant loading on the dimension for Abuse, indicating that this measure has a significant association with Abuse status. DMS Tot Correct does not have a significant loading on the dimension for Neglect, indicating that this measure is not significantly associated with Neglect status. Due to the nonlinear nature of this analysis the sign of a given loading (negative or positive) does NOT indicate a positive or negative influence on Abuse or Neglect. The sign simply indicates that variables with positive loadings influence these dimensions in different ways relative to variables with negative loadings.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Explanatory variables with significant (nonlinear) associations with different types of abuse and/or neglect. On the left are significant loadings on the dimension for Emotional, in the center are significant loadings on the dimension for Sexual, and on the right are significant loadings on the dimension for Physical. For example, DMS Tot Correct has a significant loading on the dimension for Emotional, indicating that this measure has a significant association with Emotional Abuse/Neglect. DMS Tot Correct does not have a significant loading on the dimensions for Sexual Abuse or Physical Abuse/Neglect, indicating that this measure is not significantly associated with either Sexual Abuse or Physical Abuse/Neglect. Due to the nonlinear nature of this analysis the sign of a given loading (negative or positive) does NOT indicate a positive or negative influence on the different types of abuse and/or neglect. The sign simply indicates that variables with positive loadings influence these dimensions in different ways relative to variables with negative loadings.
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