Neuropsychological function in children with maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Studies in adults have reported changes in concentration, learning, and memory in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there are few studies of cognitive function in children with PTSD. The goal of the current study was to evaluate cognition in children with PTSD.


METHODS
The cognitive status of 14 pediatric psychiatric outpatients with maltreatment-related PTSD and 15 sociodemographically similar children who were healthy and had not been maltreated was examined. Neuropsychological instruments measured language, attention, abstract reasoning/executive function, learning and memory, visual-spatial processing, and psychomotor function.


RESULTS
The children with PTSD performed more poorly on measures of attention and abstract reasoning/executive function.


CONCLUSIONS
Although based on a small number of subjects, these results support cognitive differences between children with and without maltreatment-related PTSD.
Beers
Sue R
SR
Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213, USA. BeerSR@msx.upmc.edu
De Bellis
Michael D
MD
D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014888:Wechsler Scales