Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cognitive Fucntioning: A Literature Review

Cognitive Profiles of Partial PTSD in Vietnam War Veterans

“…Qureshi et al [6] showed that the impact of PTSD impacts attention deficits, more than twice as significantly as that of non-significant results. Studies focusing on war veterans, particularly military personnel, have shown significant results [2]. Consistent with these findings, our study revealed a decline in attentional concentration among veterans with partial PTSD, as evidenced by the attention/calculation items of the MMSE-KC.…”

“…A distinctive strength lies in the study's focus on participants who experienced the same type of psychological trauma within a similar timeframe. This design choice is particularly significant, given that existing studies on cognitive function in PTSD have revealed varying patterns of cognitive decline depending on the type of psychological trauma [2,6]. Consequently, the homogeneity of trauma type and timing in this study enhanced the robustness of the findings.…”

“…Despite the high CAPS total score indicating PTSD symptoms, the partial PTSD group did not meet the DSM-IV criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. Most studies on cognitive function profiles in PTSD have focused on groups in which a PTSD diagnosis can be established via structured interviews, including CAPS [2,6]. Consequently, changes in cognitive function tend to be more evident when a diagnosis of PTSD is possible, whereas, in cases of partial PTSD, these changes may be less pronounced than those observed in full PTSD.…”

“…Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by intrusive symptoms, avoidance of stimuli associated with traumatic events, negative alterations in cognition and emotion, and changes in arousal and reactivity following exposure to one or more traumatic incidents [1]. Individuals with PTSD typically experience involuntary intrusive trauma-related memories such as flashbacks and nightmares, yet struggle with voluntarily recalling specific details of the traumatic experience [2,3]. Heightened attention to trauma-related memories is often triggered by stimuli associated with threats, whereas attention to task-related stimuli tends to decrease [4].…”

“…Heightened attention to trauma-related memories is often triggered by stimuli associated with threats, whereas attention to task-related stimuli tends to decrease [4]. Memory impairments in PTSD manifest as challenges in both preserving and retrieving memories and difficulties in suppressing emotional memories [2].…”