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. 2017 Oct 19;3(4):593-602.
doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.09.001. eCollection 2017 Nov.

Traumatic exposures, posttraumatic stress disorder, and cognitive functioning in World Trade Center responders

Sean Clouston  1 , Robert H Pietrzak  2 , Roman Kotov  1 , Marcus Richards  3 , Avron Spiro 3rd  4 , Stacey Scott  1 , Yael Deri  1 , Soumyadeep Mukherjee  1 , Candace Stewart  1 , Evelyn Bromet  1 , Benjamin J Luft  1
Affiliations

Traumatic exposures, posttraumatic stress disorder, and cognitive functioning in World Trade Center responders

Sean Clouston et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined whether World Trade Center (WTC)-related exposures and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were associated with cognitive function and whether WTC responders' cognition differed from normative data.

Methods: A computer-assisted neuropsychological battery was administered to a prospective cohort study of 1193 WTC responders with no history of stroke or WTC-related head injuries. Data were linked to information collected prospectively since 2002. Sample averages were compared to published norms.

Results: Approximately 14.8% of sampled responders had cognitive dysfunction. WTC responders had worse cognitive function compared to normative data. PTSD symptom severity and working >5 weeks on-site was associated with lower cognition.

Discussion: Results from this sample highlight the potential for WTC responders to be experiencing an increased burden of cognitive dysfunction and linked lowered cognitive functioning to physical exposures and to PTSD. Future research is warranted to understand the extent to which cognitive dysfunction is evident in neural dysfunction.

Keywords: Cognitive dysfunction; Particulate exposure; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Trauma; World Trade Center.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sample inclusion and exclusion criteria, World Trade Center (WTC) Cognitive Aging Study 2015–2016.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparisons between World Trade Center responders and Cogstate normative data. Dark gray, WTC responders with possible PTSD; White, WTC responders without possible PTSD; Light gray, normative comparison population. Two-tailed t tests were used to compare groups and to compare estimated age effects between groups. (A) Shows differences between WTC responders with and without PTSD and normal controls in memory. (B) Shows differences between WTC responders with and without PTSD and normal controls in reaction speed. (C) Shows differences between WTC responders with and without PTSD and normal controls in processing speed. *Significantly different compared to normative data when adjusting for the false discovery rate. Abbreviations: a/s, answers per second; PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder; WTC, World Trade Center.
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