Childhood Trauma and PTSD Symptoms Increase the Risk of Cognitive Impairment in a Sample of Former Indentured Child Laborers in Old Age

Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests a link between early childhood trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and higher risk for dementia in old age. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between childhood trauma exposure, PTSD and neurocognitive function in a unique cohort of former indentured Swiss child laborers in their late adulthood. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study ever conducted on former indentured child laborers and the first to investigate the relationship between childhood versus adulthood trauma and cognitive function. According to PTSD symptoms and whether they experienced childhood trauma (CT) or adulthood trauma (AT), participants (n = 96) were categorized as belonging to one of four groups: CT/PTSD+, CT/PTSD-, AT/PTSD+, AT/PTSD-. Information on cognitive function was assessed using the Structured Interview for Diagnosis of Dementia of Alzheimer Type, Multi-infarct Dementia and Dementia of other Etiology according to ICD-10 and DSM-III-R, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and a vocabulary test. Depressive symptoms were investigated as a potential mediator for neurocognitive functioning. Individuals screening positively for PTSD symptoms performed worse on all cognitive tasks compared to healthy individuals, independent of whether they reported childhood or adulthood adversity. When controlling for depressive symptoms, the relationship between PTSD symptoms and poor cognitive function became stronger. Overall, results tentatively indicate that PTSD is accompanied by cognitive deficits which appear to be independent of earlier childhood adversity. Our findings suggest that cognitive deficits in old age may be partly a consequence of PTSD or at least be aggravated by it. However, several study limitations need to considered. Consideration of cognitive deficits when treating PTSD patients and victims of lifespan trauma (even without a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition) is crucial. Furthermore, early intervention may prevent longterm deficits in memory function and development of dementia in adulthood.

Childhood trauma and resilience in old age: applying a context model of resilience to a sample of former indentured child laborers

“…This group of Swiss former indentured child laborers (Verdingkinder) has already been intensively investigated (e.g., Burri et al, 2013;Kuhlman et al, 2013;Maercker et al, 2014). As an exemplar of childhood traumatization, individuals in the Verdingkinder population share some features of childhood institutional abuse with populations from Austria, Ireland, and other European countries.…”

“…The present study was part of a larger project on trauma aftermath and psychological processes in indentured child laborers, with particular emphasis on PTSD, complex PTSD, and late-life depression (see Maercker, Krammer & Simmen-Janevska, 2014;Burri, Maercker, Krammer, & Simmen-Janevska, 2013). Initial recruitment of participants and the cross-sectional data collection took place between 2010 and 2012; this was considered the baseline time point for the present study (T1).…”

Self-Reported Sleep Disturbance Mediates the Relationship Between PTSD and Cognitive Outcome in Blast-Exposed OEF/OIF Veterans

“…81,82 Moreover, sleep disruption has been found to contribute to the onset and accumulation of Alzheimer pathology. 83 Given the elevated risk of dementia associated with PTSD 84,85 as well as with TBI, [86][87][88] consideration of sleep as a mediating factor of long-term cognitive outcomes will be of critical importance.…”

Common biochemical defects linkage between post-traumatic stress disorders, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and penetrating TBI

“…Both of these conditions in humans have been associated with delayed events including an increased risk of developing dementia (Burri et al, 2013;Ikonomovic et al, 2004;Vincent et al, 2014), and this is supported by data derived from animal studies (Uryu et al, 2002;Tran et al, 2011). The animal studies also suggest that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds such as simvastatin, or the flavonoid, luteolin can blunt the effects of TBI (Abrahamson et al, 2009;Sawmiller et al, 2014).…”