Association of posttraumatic stress disorder with accelerated cognitive decline in middle-aged women

摘要: ImportancePosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been hypothesized to lead to impaired cognitive function. However, no large-scale studies have assessed whether PTSD is prospectively associated with cognitive decline in middle-aged adults.ObjectiveTo assess the association between PTSD and decline in cognitive function over time.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study included participants from the Nurses’ Health Study II, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study involving community-dwelling middle-aged female nurses residing in the US who had at least a 2-year nursing degree at the time of enrollment in 1989. The present study included 12 270 trauma-exposed women who were enrolled in the PTSD substudy of the Nurses’ Health Study II and completed 1 to 5 cognitive assessments. Data were collected from March 1, 2008, to July 30, 2019.ExposuresLifetime PTSD symptoms, assessed using …