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. 2022 Mar 15;19(6):3440.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063440.

Cognitive Function among World Trade Center-Exposed Community Members with Mental Health Symptoms

Rebecca Rosen  1   2 , Yongzhao Shao  2   3   4   5 , Qiao Zhang  2   4 , Jia Bao  2   4 , Yian Zhang  2   4 , Arjun Masurkar  5   6 , Thomas Wisniewski  5   6 , Nina Urban  1   2 , Joan Reibman  2   3   7
Affiliations

Cognitive Function among World Trade Center-Exposed Community Members with Mental Health Symptoms

Rebecca Rosen et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The World Trade Center Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC), is a federally designated clinical center of excellence for surveillance and treatment of WTC disaster exposed community members (WTC Survivors). Cognitive impairment (CI) has been extensively described in WTC responders and a concern for progressive impairment in all WTC disaster exposed groups has been raised. Cognitive status, however, has not been systematically characterized in the WTC Survivor population. We describe cognitive status in a subgroup of the Survivor population referred for mental health evaluation (N = 480) in the WTC EHC as measured by scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) instrument, and examine their association with WTC exposures and individual-level covariates including PTSD and depression screening inventory scores. In regression analyses, probable cognitive impairment (MoCA score < 26) was found in 59% of the study subjects and was significantly associated with age, race/ethnicity, education, income, depression and PTSD scores. Being caught in the dust cloud on 11 September 2011 was significantly associated with cognitive impairment even after controlling for the above. These data suggest an association with cognitive dysfunction in WTC Survivors with exposure to the toxic dust/fumes and psychological stress from the 9/11 terrorist attack and warrant further systematic study.

Keywords: MCI; MoCA; PTSD; World Trade Center; cognition; cognitive impairment; toxin exposure; trauma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dust cloud and education level in those with MoCA scores <26 and ≥26.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Linear regression of MoCA scores on PCL scores and PHQ scores.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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