title: The influence of pre-deployment neurocognitive functioning on post-deployment PTSD symptom outcomes among Iraq-deployed Army soldiers.
abstract: This study evaluated associations between pre-deployment neurocognitive performance and post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of deployed active duty Army soldiers. As part of a larger longitudinal study, each participant completed baseline measures of memory, executive attention, and response inhibition, and baseline and post-deployment self-report measures of PTSD symptom severity. Data were subjected to multiple regression analyses that examined associations between baseline neurocognitive performances and longitudinal PTSD symptom outcome. Results revealed that pre-trauma immediate recall of visual information was associated with post-deployment PTSD symptom severity, even after controlling for pre-deployment PTSD symptom levels, combat intensity, age, gender, and test-retest interval. There was also an interaction between pre-deployment PTSD symptom severity and pre-deployment immediate visual recall and verbal learning, indicating that neurocognitive performances were more strongly (and negatively) associated with residualized post-deployment PTSD symptoms at higher levels of pre-deployment PTSD symptoms. These findings highlight the potential role of pre-trauma neurocognitive functioning in moderating the effects of trauma exposure on PTSD symptoms
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, Behavioral Science Division, National Center for PTSD, Boston, MA 02130, USA. brian.marx@va.gov
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doron-Lamarca
authors.forename: Susan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vasterling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult