title: Neuropsychological functioning in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse.
abstract: Studies have shown differences in neuropsychological functioning between groups with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and control participants. Because individuals with PTSD often have a history of comorbid alcohol abuse, the extent to which an alcohol confound is responsible for these differences remains a concern. The current study compares neuropsychological testing scores in 4 groups of veterans with and without PTSD (PTSD+ and PTSD-, respectively) and with and without a history of alcohol abuse (ETOH+ and ETOH-, respectively): n for PTSD+/ETOH- = 30, n for PTSD+/ETOH- = 37, n for PTSD-/ETOH+ = 30, and n for PTSD-/ETOH- = 31. Results showed that PTSD, when alcohol, educational level, vocabulary, and depression are controlled for, was associated with decreased verbal memory, attention, and processing speed performance. Alcohol abuse history was associated with decreased visual memory performance. By controlling for alcohol and depression, the authors can more conclusively demonstrate that verbal memory and attention differences are associated with PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Kristin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Samuelson
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Neylan
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Metzler
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Maryanne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenoci
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothlind
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0429-781X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henn-Haase
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choucroun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Marmar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology