Combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, and cognition following blast-related traumatic brain injury in OEF/OIF/OND service members and Veterans.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently documented among the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) veterans. This study will investigate both combat exposure and PTSD as factors that may influence objective cognitive outcomes following blast-related mild TBI (mTBI). Participants included 54 OEF/OIF/OND veterans who had been exposed to blast and reported symptoms consistent with mTBI and 43 combat-deployed control participants who had no history of blast exposure or TBI. Raw scores from the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Trail Making Test, Color-Word Interference Test, and Verbal Selective Reminding Test were used to measure cognitive functioning. All participants demonstrated adequate effort on the Word Memory Test. Demographics, injury characteristics, overall intellectual functioning, and total scores from the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) were used as the predictors for each cognitive measure. History of mTBI was significantly associated with higher PCL-C and CES scores. Multivariable linear regression, however, showed no significant differences in cognitive performance between groups. The absence of effect of mTBI, PTSD, and combat exposure on cognitive functioning noted in this study may be partially explained by the inclusion of only those participants who passed performance validity testing.
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Maya
M
Troyanskaya
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Nicholas J
NJ
Pastorek
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Randall S
RS
Scheibel
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Nancy J
NJ
Petersen
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Katie
K
McCulloch
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Elisabeth A
EA
Wilde
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Helene K
HK
Henson
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.
Harvey S
HS
Levin
D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D000067453:War Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*