Further findings
In additional research presented at the meeting, Elsa Mattson, a PhD student from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, and colleagues reported findings further distinguishing the role of EF in PTSD.
In that study of 149 patients with chronic PTSD, those with low performing working memory, but not high working memory, had higher pre- as well as posttreatment PTSD symptom severity and depressive symptoms.
“Clinicians should consider that impairments in executive function may play a role in reduced treatment response, potentially impairing a client’s ability to learn new information in treatment,” the investigators wrote.
“Understanding how executive function processes change over the course of treatment, particularly in relation to processing the trauma memories, is an important next step,” they added.
The first study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. The investigators have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.