Declarative

Declarative memory dysfunction in PTSD Multiple studies have demonstrated verbal declarative memory deficits

related to PTSD, in samples of adult patients with PTSD related to combat,2-9 childhood abuse,10-11 rape,12 political violence,13 and the Holocaust.14-15 Studies have employed a variety of memory measures, including list-learning tasks such as the California Verbal Learning Test and the Rey Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Auditory Verbal Learning Test; paired associates learning, from the Wechsler Memory Scale (WM’S); and narrative recall, such as the Logical Memory subtest of the WMS. Visual memory impairments appear to be less pronounced than verbal memory impairments.16 Fewer studies have examined neuropsychological functioning in children with PTSD. There is some evidence of verbal memory deficits Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in samples of children exposed to intimate partner violence,17 motor vehicle accidents,18 and physical and sexual abuse.19 There are some exceptions to this fairly robust literature, with some studies

failing to find memory impairments Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical related to PTSD.20“26 Conflicting methodologies across studies might, account, for these inconsistencies; the majority of studies examining memory in PTSD employ small sample sizes and a variety of instruments used to assess memory. In addition, confounds such as comorbid psychiatric conditions complicate Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical interpretation of findings. buy GSK2118436 Meta-analysis is the most useful method to pool the results of individual studies, weight them for sample size, and generate an overall effect size to test the hypothesis that PTSD is associated with verbal declarative memory deficits. A meta-analysis of adult, studies prior to 200627 showed a small-to-modcratc effect size for memory deficits in PTSD. The 27 studies reviewed examined both verbal and visual memory and produced larger effects for Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical verbal memory. The studies included both traumaexposed and unexposed control groups with more pronounced differences occurring

between PTSD patients and control groups not exposed MycoClean Mycoplasma Removal Kit to trauma. Similarly, Johnsen and Asbjensen,28 in their recent meta-analysis, found a moderate effect size for verbal memory impairment, with stronger memory impairment in war veteran groups compared with civilian groups. The authors noted that the majority of studies reviewed included veterans from the Vietnam War with chronic, long-lasting PTSD. These findings could suggest that, the memory impairments were related in part, to illness duration. It should be emphasized that overall, decrements in memory performance due to PTSD are subtle, with performance falling either in the low average range, or in the normal range yet significantly lower than controls. Still, the findings are clinically meaningful when they represent, a change in functioning before and after trauma.

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